WIcked Little Things
by little furry cannibals
Summary: Honor, greed, love, trust, envy, desire, want, responsibility, coveting, wrath… any of which are fueled by both the heart and mind. How can a person survive through any of them when determination is the pilot? Beta'd by ShadowPast620.
1. Confusion

A/N: This fiction is for mature audiences only. Graphic brutality coats nearly every chapter soon to follow and warning will not be given ahead of time.

_**Confusion**_

* * *

><p>The scent became stronger as the rabid-appearing predators slunk through the heavily forested lands, their movement evenly paced and matched in a silent formation. Dense, roughened fur covered the bodies of the silent predators that moved eerily at ease and with precision.<p>

Unlike a normal canine, their noses need not sniff the ground to track. Honed in on their target's location, they sped up in anticipation of the kill. A grating, trilling, metallic screech of a voice prickled the ears of these killers, these wolves, their bodies slinking lower still to the ground as they approached a kill.

An answering voice to the vampire's inquiry caused the newest wolf to halt, fear rippling down his spine as he twitched his ears higher to hear what was being said. The scent trail had not indicated anyone else, only the creature of the night. Someone was in danger.

The Alpha snuffed once and low, gaining his errant pack-member's attention. Casualties were to be avoided but the death of one could mean the saving of hundreds and it was a practice that countless leaders had to been faced with. Ears dropping back down, the worried wolf continued to follow, concentrating on the ground before him.

The wolves had the advantage, being upwind of the clearing that stood outside the camouflage of trees. The largest, a heavily bodied black male, stopped in the shadows, a clear view of his target. The creature was entirely focused on its prey, failing to notice the audience it now had or just assuming the new heart beats it had to be hearing were normal fauna indigenous to the location.

"They're around," the small woman assured the abomination. "In fact, Edward said I was to meet him this week." Her heartbeat increased even more so, a tell-tale sign of deception, but the monster didn't call her out just yet.

"Do you…know what day it is? I sometimes get them confused. At first I thought he was to be here tomorrow, but the more I think about it, the more I seem to recall he was to meet me Saturday. Which would be today, right?" The girl rambled in hopes of distracting her unexpected companion.

"My poor, sweet girl. Whether your owner is to meet you tonight or tomorrow will be of no consequence."

The ghostly figure crossed the remaining few yards distance between it and her. Lifting its stone cold appendage, the creature tilted her chin up to look him directly face-on. His own eyes fluttered closed in bliss as he inhaled of her heavenly aroma, whispering, "I'm afraid your journey will end sooner than that," the monster explained.

As the girl struggled to understand what this meant, not because she was confused but because her life wasn't to end like this, the figure opened his eyes. "There's a time to live," he said, gently placing stray locks of her hair behind her right ear. "There's a time to die," he continued, repeating the process with her left side errant curls. "And then," placing both of his hands on her hunched shoulders, "there is a time to become a meal."

His lips pulled back into an evil smile, the glittering teeth coated with venom an irrefutabble sign of death for the girl. Her eyes clamped shut in dread, feeling the icy pressure of stone lips against her pulse.

Making not a sound, the leading wolf instructed as the pack moved in synchronization. Crossing the tree barrier, they entered the clearing unknown to their prey. Fifteen feet away from target and it twisted its head sharply, intent to snarl away any type of wandering creature that would dare bother one such as he was.

The girl, Bella, still held her eyes firmly shut, waiting for the piercing of her throat that would precede the burning pain a vampire's venom inflicted. She had found the area she had been looking for, not anticipating that there would be a visitor.

The vampire's cold fingers dug into her flesh, nails slicing through the shirt as his grip tightened before he released, pushing her away as if disgusted. She stumbled to the ground, opening her eyes as she landed on bottom to look for why the vampire had cast aside.

The five wolves prowling in tandem caused Bella to falter in both, breathing and logic, her eyes searching for a reason as to why the vampire was backing away as if frightened. She too was scared of this new threat, laughing silently as she ground her teeth to keep from asking the vampire not to leave her here.

Unable to process the movement, Bella became aware of both threats suddenly vanishing before her eyes. Only the reverberating sounds of snarls attested to the fact that Bella had not hallucinated the scene. She waited until the noise disappeared completely before standing to run in the other direction, away from the monsters.

_NO!_

A single word slammed into the minds of the pack. Not an Alpha command, or a questioning gesture, but a single gut-wrenching answer to how the wolf felt about what had just happened.

There aren't enough blinders or self determination tactics to ignore a soul and Paul could in no way deny his own. His answer was overruled by a force greater than god and couldn't be dealt with amidst the thundering pursuit of the vampire presently being hunted.

Paul was the first to sink his overly large lupine teeth into the cold, unwavering stone flesh as he descended on top of the vampire. Adrenalin, rage, fury, contempt and despair came forth as his jaws clamped tightly and tore.

Sam and Jared made contact as well, taking matching mouthfuls to rip away the skin of their prey, dodging the wavering blows the vampire tried to deliver in its last seconds of awareness. With five wolves at hand, the kill was swift, body parts hastily grouped together. Embry phased back into human form, untying the small bundle from around his ankle to produce a lighter. To a grotesque pyre of stoned flesh, he flicked the silver colored flint wheel, the spark instantly igniting the wick into a flame.

The young men watched and waited until the last flame burnt itself out, leaving a smoldering piece of charred, unidentifiable remains. Silently, Sam used his foot to cover the area with forest debris before indicating his pack-mates to follow him further into the forest.

Miles away, Bella Swan continued her frantic journey home, trying to ignore the events of the past hour and wondering if the wolves would come for her. When she finally made it to her truck, gunning the engine to start back home, the long distance howls of anger were ignored.

* * *

><p><em><strong><span>Negation<span>**_

* * *

><p>In an area far away from anyone or anything the wolves had gathered and shifted back to men. Sam eyed his group wearily, waiting to see which one would be the first to erupt in anger, first.<p>

"What the fuck was that?" Jacob yelled to one of his fellows wolves, tying his shorts on and storming across the clearing.

"What the fuck was what?" Paul spat back, unable to ignore the penetrating and angry glare from his accuser.

Jacob stopped just feet from Paul, reeling in his physical desire to punch him. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. When we were phased, approaching to strike, you…you…" Unable to articulate the one thing he had never thought would occur, Jacob turned around to slam his fist into a nearby tree, raining pine needles all around as the trunk waivered.

The other wolves neither knew what to say nor what to do. Even if they had, this level of personal aggression from the wolf -jokingly referred to as 'Happy' - needed to run its course. Paul, with his ever present bad temperament laughed, mockingly and snidely.

"Does the happy pup finally have reason to be the not so happy pup? What's the matter, did that mean old tree tell you a dirty secret?"

Whatever control Jacob held was lost. In a rage-ridden sprint, he turned to rush the stockier man, heedless of anyone or anything else in his path.

Striding quickly to the young wolf, the Alpha gripped Jacob's shoulders tightly.

"Jacob, back off," Sam commanded, knowing this was going to be anything but pleasant. "When have we ever cursed a brother for imprinting? Paul didn't choose this and he has more of a right to be shocked and confused than you do."

Disbelief rolled off of Jacob in waves as he turned to face the man who held their leadership.

"Shocked and confused; are you out of your fucking mind? He's not shocked; his enraged beyond belief." Black's eyes stared down those of his Alpha, bare pain, anger, hurt and disbelief visible, waiting to be alleviated.

"You can fucking have her, Black!" Paul spat out disgustedly, causing Jacob to throw off Sam's hand and whip back around. "If I had to fucking imprint, I sure as hell didn't want some used piece of white-trash."

"Don't you fucking dare! You have no god damn right to call her such things, you piece of shit!" Once again the two men were face-to-face, chests pressed tightly together as each waited for the other to take the first swing.

Paul wanted the fight and he pushed with his words, hoping Jacob would lose control and lash out.

"I'll do whatever the hell I want, Black, and there isn't a fucking thing you can do about it. Isabella Swan is not one of us; she isn't tribe; she isn't native; and she's certainly been used by vamps long enough to be considered one of their own personal fang toys. Seeing as I am now stuck with her scrawny ass until the day I die, or until I can get the fuck out of this, you can shove your opinion right up your ass."

Sam jumped behind Jake, pinning his arms and pulling back while shouting to the other man. "Paul! Relax! I understand the imprint has upset you, but don't say anything you're gonna regret later. Isabella is Jacob's friend and he's just concerned for her well being."

Embry, Jared, and Quil stood off to the side, unsure of how to react, or help what was clearly a shock to them all. Jared had Kim and while he was comfortable with the imprint, he could understand Paul's concerns over the matter.

Quil and Embry -Jacob's friends since grade-school- knew of Bella and Jake's love of her. Both boys thought she was an okay person and Paul could have done worse for an imprint. But neither had imprinted themselves and lacked the ability to help Paul muddle through his mental confusion dealing with the new-found feelings.

Jacob had stopped struggling in Sam's grasp, but still held visages of morphing at any second. Painful howls and sounds of distress escaping from his throat uninvited.

Paul ignored it all, his focus now on his Alpha.

"Is that what this is about? You concerned with what happens when that sorry excuse for a human comes face to face with her big bad wolf? You think I'm gonna hurt her?"

"Yes, I do," Sam answered sadly, hoping Paul would rethink the scenario once he had cooled off from the shock.

"Good!" Paul spat out angrily, watching as the pack reflexively recoiled at his blunt intentions.

"As long as we, her and I, are both miserable you might as well join in for the ride." The challenge was back, Paul hoping Sam would be surprised enough to engage in a physical altercation.

"You don't even know her, Lahote," Sam growled, his wolf-spirit coming forth to subdue his pack-mate. He took the steps necessary to place himself in front of Paul, waiting for a sign of subservience.

Paul had brought the situation to hand, wanting to lash out and fight until his outside felt as bloody and torn as his inside. He tried to back his words, his own wolf trembling beneath the surface to be released. Sam reacted in kind, the power of an Alpha-leader flaring outwards; causing Paul's to shrink back beneath the skin.

It took time, but Paul knew he wouldn't be able to win this as wolf. Instead, he defaulted to his human side to best his Alpha. With all the hate he possessed he answered Sam. "And I don't plan to get to know her."

Sam took a reflexive step back, shocked at the conviction Paul had used to answer him.

"You can't ignore an imprint, Paul. The ties that bind won't allow it."

Paul gave another condescending laugh.

"Watch me, Uley. For seventeen years, I've done whatever the hell I damned well pleased and some fruity fucking imprint isn't about to change it." Spitting on the ground in the general direction of Jacob, he backed away before disappearing into the shadows of the forest, Jared several yards behind to bring him back.

"Let him go, Jared," Sam called out. "Once he's calmed down and thought about it, he'll realize he can't ignore her forever. It's best if we just give him some space and let him figure out what he needs to make this work."

Turning back to Jacob, who was whispering angrily to Embry, Sam put on a face of hopefulness. "He won't hurt her, Jake, you know that. Paul just needs to calm down and realize this is actually a blessing. In a week or two, we'll have the Swan girl up to the reservation and explain it to her."

Jacob wasn't convinced, still angry that Sam hadn't had better control over the comments Paul had made.

"Can I go now, Alpha?" He asked rudely. "I'd like to make sure Bella arrived home safely."

With the grace instilled into him from being one of the few 'chosen' from his tribe, Sam kept his composer. "Quil, go with Jake and make sure she arrived home. Then make a perimeter run before heading home for the night."

Wordlessly, everyone left, lost in thoughts that worried for what the immediate future may hold.

* * *

><p>The bartender, Tom, wiped a glass carefully, keeping a well trained eye on the man sitting at the end of the bar. For the last hour, he had gone through five pitchers of beer, alone. Tom had been in the business long enough to know that the man was on the verge of exploding into rage. With every swallow of beer, his customer's hands trembled.<p>

Paul sat in the shithole, drinking piss-ass warm beer, torturing himself with the acrid and bitter flavor of the liquid he was consuming. He didn't want to go home, a place where nothing of distraction was. His mom had split some four or five months ago without so much as a goodbye. His dad had been gone long before that too, only leaving Paul his last name to claim and nothing else.

The council knew, but due to his circumstances they couldn't step in for public assistance and none of the elders felt comfortable enough taking in such a volatile teen. Once a week, Quil Sr. or Henry Clearwater would drop to inspect the house and make sure the power was still on and there was some food in the fridge. Other than Sam, interference was to a minimum.

Waving the attendant, Paul indicated for a new pitcher to replace the now empty one sitting in front of him. Frowning, the bartender walked over slowly, hesitant to startle Paul.

"Gimme another," Paul demanded, pushing the pitcher forward.

"I think you've had enough, buddy. Why don't I call you a cab and you can go home to sleep it off?" Leaning forward, Tom made to grab the empty pitcher, stopping when the young man gripped his wrist tightly.

"I don't need a cab," Paul snarled, jerking slightly on the bartender's wrist before letting go and sitting back. "I want some more of that piss you call beer."

Rubbing his wrist, Tom internally debated before trying another approach. Maybe, if the guy thought the cops might be called, he'd leave peacefully. "Look, if you want to drive while drunk, that's your business. But as an owner here, I'm not about to let you get behind the wheel of a car."

"Lucky for you, I walked. Now if you don't mind…" Nudging the pitcher again, Paul waited for the man to shut the hell up and leave him alone.

"Obviously you can hold your liquor; I'm still not going to give you anymore. Why don't you go home and sleep it off. Come back tomorrow and you can start drinking all over again if you want."

Paul sensed the man's nervousness as his eyes slid quickly to beneath the bar before returning Paul's stare. He knew the guy was about to either pull a gun or call the cops and Paul had no desire to deal with either. With an impatient sigh, he stood up, dropping some crumpled bills on the counter and walking out.

He ran, not for long, and not far enough away to leave his problems behind. The wrenching in his soul guided the struggling wolf to the border of Forks where he paused to study the land. He didn't need to be told an address or given directions; his connection led the way to the two-story clapboard house nestled at the edge of the forest.

Paul couldn't help his eyes as they strayed to an upstairs window where a lone figure sat. Neither made to move, the girl lost her own feelings, and the wolf trapped to his hellish own. Folding his legs underneath, Paul sat to watch and wait, cursing every minute of his new life.

* * *

><p>After fixing dinner and assuring Charlie she was okay, Bella had retired to her room for the night, unable to stop playing the events of earlier from in the field. Without pause, she was able to recollect each and every detail, from the first approach of Laurent to the sudden appearance of the five wolves and what it had meant.<p>

There had been one minute, so brief it was the only thing Bella held doubts about, when the dark grey wolf of the group had caught her eye. For a fraction of time, she thought it had almost looked human; a trapped soul in the body of an animal. The animals had vanished quickly and with her body's instinct to move to safety, she had almost shrugged it off.

Here, in her room, when she could replay the scene without disturbances, Bella pondered why her pain and agony of Edward's abandonment suddenly didn't consume her completely as it had earlier in the meadow.

It was a long night before Bella finally sought out her bed, never once noticing the glowing yellow eyes that had been observing her from below.

* * *

><p><span><em><strong>Disappointment<strong>_

* * *

><p>He woke up outside, still in the form of a wolf immune to the cold and too damn aware of the muddy slush sluicing underneath his form. The rain was heavier than usual and visibility was poor. To most, the time would've been hard to decipher, but Paul knew it was close dawn from the beginning twittering of nearby birds.<p>

Fluidly he stood up to shake out his pelt, cursing for having fallen asleep in the first place. He looked towards the house again, noting the stillness before retreating. His wolf had had his fun and now Paul was firmly back in control. His frame brushed against several mature saplings—not yet trees— as he gained speed to run home and wash away his filth and disgust.

* * *

><p>Bella heard her father call for her to get up. Blearily, she crawled from her bed, wondering if yesterday's outing had worn her out, or if it had been the worry of wondering if her attacker would seek her out in her home.<p>

"Did you have another nightmare last night, Bella?" Charlie asked some time later as the two sat to have breakfast.

Wordlessly she looked up, wondering what an appropriate answer would be.

"You were crying out early this morning. It wasn't like the normal and you quieted back down as soon as it started."

"Oh," Bella answered, pushing her eggs across the plate.

This type of exchange was customary and Bella's lack-luster attention didn't overly concern Charlie. He let the silence continue as he finished eating, dropping his plate in the sink before mentioning he had to go to work and would be back later.

The rain held a constant pattern of drumming, beating against the roof as Bella felt herself fall into a monotonous haze. She didn't remember dreaming last night and that wasn't normal.

Most of Bella's dreams were detailed in color, pain and scent. She could always smell Edward's scent as he held her one last time, coaxing his fingers across her collar bone before turning around and uttering those hateful untruths.

She had followed that undescribable scent of his when he left her in the forest, a trail of aroma that promised her things she couldn't find elsewhere. Even in her dreams, she tried to follow the scent, always succumbing to physical tragedy before attaining her goal.

Focusing with her heart, she tried to recapture the feelings of bliss she had always experienced when Edward had been nearby, her memories now jagged shards that brought more pain than pleasure.

Not masochistic by nature, Bella craved the agony. As long as she could still feel at all meant her relationship with Edward hadn't been a dream.

_Nightmare_, whispered her conscious. _Dreams are of pleasure, not pain. Every moment you spent with him was filled with angst…_

Angrily she sat up, fighting away the haziness of her mind. Edward may have been her savior on more than one occasion, but even if he hadn't, she still would have loved him; did love him.

Frustrated with her unproductive morning, Bella got up in preparation to leave the house. She needed a different form of distraction.

* * *

><p>"Billy, are you home?" Bella called out, rapping lightly on the old wooden screen attached to the even older wooden red house. She had called before coming over, hoping to hear Jake's happy voice, or at the very least Billy's tired one. No one answered though and Bella decided that maybe a surprise visit would help open up the door of friendship she had once had with the Blacks.<p>

After fifteen minutes of total silence save for her questioning if anyone was home, Bella slumped her shoulders, walking back to her truck with no closer to seeing or hearing from Jacob. Halfway there, the hairs on the back of her neck rippled in eerie foreboding. Glancing around, she couldn't see anyone or anything unusual to cause such a sensation and her steps hurried a bit eager to claim the sanctuary of her truck once again.

Another wasted trip to La Push, trying to demand answers from her missing best friend and the horror of what was still taking place around Northwestern Washington.

* * *

><p>"Don't!" Paul hissed as he watched Jacob from across the clearing. With every exhalation Bella took, standing in front of Black's house, Jake was one inch closer to appearing in front of her.<p>

Both men were phased, situated across the yard from each other, each waiting to see what the other would do with this unexpected guest. Jake shifted his hind quarters slightly on the forest floor, not understanding why Paul was waiting to approach her.

"Damn it, Paul. She needs her best friend right now. I need to see her, give her a shoulder to cry on," Jake informed the stubborn wolf.

Watching, always watching, they witnessed the look of expectance on Bella's face transform into disappointment and then despair.

"She is no longer your concern, Black," Paul stated as Bella climbed back into her truck. "On our lands, she is mine and I decide what will and will not be done."

"Then do it! Stop being a fucking coward and approach her. Let her know she isn't alone anymore. Tell her our –your—secret, so that she can feel whole again."

"No," Paul answered, still shifting from his spot as he watched the dilapidated truck pull out of the driveway and onto the road.

"Why not? Are you that worried? Are you afraid that she'll turn you away, tell you what an impossible asshole you are and aren't worth the spit it takes to say your name?"

"I don't need some little girl telling me what I am or aren't worth."

"Then do it for me!" Jake screamed in his head, his anger exploding into a cloud of aching melancholy.

"I need her back in my life," he whispered, wishing for the past to return. A past filled with warm sodas, senseless conversations and overall feelings of being perfect.

Paul was not unaffected by the bludgeoning of sensations he experienced through Jake.

_A group of kids at the beach, laughing as they chased each other in an uncensored game of tag, the pale skin of one little girl amidst the bronzed tones of the rest and the shining, admiring eyes that watched her …_

_A dark room, people all around as a screen illuminated the faces of those watching a movie, the eerie music radiating a tension in the audience followed by a jolt as the villain jumped out and adrenaline rushed through everyone's system, leaving a boy clinging to a slightly older girl's hand, thankful that while she still trembled, he could hold steady and comfort her…_

_Pride, unleashed in waves, as the girl stood next to him on a bank, both figures holding fishing poles. The air was damp and cool, the area around them holding a scent of fish and tackle. Her pole jerked again and the girl squealed, the boy laughing and reaching out to help her reel in the first catch of the morning…_

_Secrets, waiting to be spilled by both parties._

_Responsibility holding each other's tongue hostage as they danced around half-truths, half-lies and full-caring that the other would not get hurt._

'_We could run away,' Jake's voice suggested in an errant memory of a young woman looking at him with the feelings of a soul mate…_

Paul snapped his head, willing away the traitorous thoughts and betrayals those types of images inflicted.

"Haven't you learned yet, Black?" He asked the melancholy young man. "I don't ask of, nor grant, favors to anyone. You'd do well to remember that."

One fluid motion and the silvered creature was gone, leaving in his wake an equal sized creature of russet who possessed enough sentiment to drown them all.


	2. Intensification

**_Intensification_**

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><p><em>Ten perfectly manicured fingers resided atop of ten perfectly manicured toes that were shielded slightly by smoky grey colored translucent hose.<em>

"_Is this what you want, baby?" A feminine voice teased its onlooker._

_With a slight wiggle, the fingers stretched outwards then began a slow trail across the bridges of the arched feet. The movement was hypnotic like a snake watching its captor entice its body to move with a musical instrument._

_The fingers hesitated briefly as they rounded a set of kneecaps and with a flare, those fingers darted out to pull apart the hosed legs before resuming their upward course, the path now of the inner thighs._

_The vision flashed then jumped as those red tainted nails rubbed suggestively across a pair of laced panties, slowing in movement to tease the flesh beneath._

"_Like this baby?"_

_The hand slipped beneath edge of the garment, hints of the red nails still visible as they flashed past tiny opening the lace of the fabric created._

"_Fuck yeah, baby! Just like that!" A roughened male voice sounded…_

"Good damn it, Paul! Knock that shit off!" Jake screamed in his mind as Paul assaulted him with his fantasy.

Paul's mind froze, relaxing when he realized that he was no longer phased alone for the moment. Cruelty quickly took over.

"What's the matter, puppy?" Paul mocked back, catching glimpses of Jake's internal pained expression of Bella being hurt when he explained that she wasn't playing the star role in a certain wolf's fantasies. "Are you upset that I'm not giving you a peep show guest staring your crush?"

"I could care less if you really need to think of other women; whatever the fuck it takes to save Bella from knowing what an impossible bastard you are. But I know you, Lahote. Soon enough your sick and twisted fuck-fests will need to become a reality and I don't want to even fucking think that I stood by and was somehow part of knowing just exactly what you had planned for her."

"Get over it, Black. No way in hell could your little bird be half of the woman of my Kylie." Tired of the other wolf's high and mighty beliefs, Paul tried to return to his dreams.

"Your Kylie is nothing but a nightmare now, Paul," Jake yammered away, unconcerned for Paul's wishes. "You can see her and might even be able to hold a conversation with her, but what do you think will happen when she wants more than just talking from you?

"And you can't even let me have that, can you Black? I don't want that despicable piece of white trash and you and the rest of the fucking pack keep shoving her innocence in my face!"

"Because she is an innocent!" Jake exclaimed, taken back by Paul's unfound hatred. "She doesn't even know what's happened and you acting the way you are wont make you any more redeemable in her eyes."

"Who fucking asked her?" Paul snarled rising to stand. He approached Jake tauntingly, throwing his accusations like a weapon. "Who asked her to judge my quality of life; to decide if it's worthy enough of her approval?"

Jake refused to be bullied. "Nobody! But if you think this is hard for you, imagine what it's going to be like for her?"

"I've already fucking told you! She doesn't need to know a god damn thing," Paul demanded.

Both wolves stood nose to nose, lost amongst the emotions being projected, studied and cast aside as acceptance was futile. Paul turned away first.

"Just leave it the fuck alone, Black!" He called out, intent on dealing with this his own way.

"I can't do that, Paul," Jake answered mournfully. "And neither can you."

Sighing, Paul dropped his head, not in defeat to Jacob's suggestion, but in his failure to convince Black to understand.

"The sooner you accept this and try to make it work-" Jake began only to be cut off.

"Don't. I've already warned you once, Black. You and the pack keep pushing me and I can guaran-fucking-tee it won't just be you who is sorry."

"And that right there is why I hate you so damn much, Paul. You're such a fucking asshole that you think Bella alone has made it her life goal to fuck up Paul Lahote's life. You think she spent night after night praying to the heavens that you'd magically fall in love with her? She doesn't even know you exist outside of the fact that you're some obnoxious dick who, when she's seen you on the rare occasion, can do nothing but scowl and glare at her."

"You're forgetting one thing though, Black: If Bella "leech lover" Swan didn't exist, I wouldn't fucking be in this predicament. My soul mate, if any, would've been some other chick whom I could possibly tolerate for longer than thirty seconds," Paul explained slowly, gaining perverse self-satisfaction from Jacob's look of equal parts, horror, loathing and disgust.

"Now, if you could go and fuck off, I'd like to get back to my Kylie planning."

* * *

><p>A week passed before Jacob could no longer take Paul's caustic attitude and derision towards his best friend. Ignoring any and everything Paul felt towards the subject, Jacob asked Sam to relinquish his stance on allowing him to see Bella. He argued that he was more fit to retain his temper and Paul was never going to do the honest thing and tell Bella what he was or what had transpired between the two.<p>

With a promise to Sam, that Jacob would only discuss his own wolfness, Jacob made the trip to Bella's house, hoping she would be happy to see him and happy to finally have the chance to tell her what was going on.

"Jacob?" Bella questioned, as she opened the door mid-morning Saturday. Eyes wide in disbelief, she took in Jacob's appearance, surprised at how well he looked despite Billy's constant reminder that Jake was ill.

"Yeah, Bells, it's me. Are you happy to see me?"

"Oh my gosh, Jake!" Past transgressions forgotten, Bella released the door knob to throw herself into the startled embrace of her best friend.

Jacob, excited by her happiness, enveloped her warmly, picking her up in a full hug. "Hey, honey. God, I've missed you." In a moment of pity, Jake silently mourned for his chance to be with Bella, but quickly brushed it aside, knowing that at least now, she would be near.

"Jake, where have you been? I've been calling and Billy said you were sick and no one heard from you and Charlie said I needed to just wait and I was worried and couldn't just let it go and then…" trailing off from her rambling explanation, Bella stopped herself from saying what had happened in the meadow.

How, in her anger at loneliness to Jacob's disappearance, she had gone out to find some sense of fulfillment. There would never be closure with Edward, but with the meadow she could at least pretend it hadn't been an empty love.

Jacob saw the pain, misery and worthlessness Bella was feeling. It nearly killed him. "And then what, Bella?" He whispered.

She searched his soul-filled eyes that had always been a sign of welcome. Despite his recent absence he had somehow aged… looked wiser…he looked like he had been given a death sentence.

Bella couldn't bring herself to say anything else that might disrupt their happy reunion. "Nothing, Jake. It was nothing."

"I saw you," Jake murmured as he watched Bella's small smile begin to flitter away.

"Saw me? Saw me where? I haven't seen you at all until just now." Taking a step back, Bella took in his healthy complexion. This was not the physique of a boy who had been bed-ridden for so many weeks.

"What really happened?" She asked. "Where have you been and why have you been avoiding me?"

The sharp inhalation of breath Jake took hurt. It shouldn't have; there was nothing wrong with him physically, but the pain washed over him just the same.

"I saw you, Bella. You were talking as if he was still here; as if you were still somehow a part of his life and he hadn't just used you and left you for dead in the middle of the forest."

"You couldn't…" Bella faltered as Jake's expression changed. Somehow, he knew.

"What are you talking about?" She finally asked, her world of elegantly styled walls of denial slowly tumbling down around her.

"Last weekend, in a meadow. I saw you talking to one of those…monsters!" Jake yelled before quickly pulling in his rage. His next sentence was much softer despite the hurt laced into the meaning. "Like he was your next-door neighbor or something."

"You weren't…you don't know what you're talking about. I don't know what you're talking about." Dumbly, Bella kept shaking her head. If she refused to believe Jake then he might believe that he was wrong.

She had to protect him!

Jake reached out to cup her cheeks. "Yes, you do know. I saw everything…how it reached out to touch you." His fingers began to stroke her cheeks willing for her to understand.

"You would have let it kill you," he accused, watching as Bella stopped her denial at not knowing what he was talking about. Her head fell downwards in defeat.

"You don't understand what they are, Jacob. You don't know how fast they can be. There wasn't anything I could have done. If it wasn't for the…" pausing, she looked into Jacob's knowing eyes.

She had said so much, too much! Now both of their lives would be forfeit for no one was to know about vampires. Telling him had been purely accidental and both of them would have to pay the price for her rambling words.

"If it wasn't for the wolves?" Jake asked, confused at the mesh of emotions flashing in her eyes. She tensed at the word 'wolves' and he wondered if she somehow already knew about them. It was too late to go back now, though.

"I know, Bella, because I was there and I was one of them," Jake replied in a coaxing tone. He wanted her to feel comfortable talking to him about this as it was no longer a secret to be kept. Numbly, he told her about his heritage, about what he had become and how he knew about the things she was trying to keep from him.

"And the vamp….Laurent?" Bella asked, changing her description mid-sentence in case Jake was somehow bluffing about his knowledge. "Did you scare him away?"

"We killed him."

Neither said anything for a long while, caught up in self-incriminations, guilt and sorrow.

Bella wanted to believe her best friend; he had never lied to her knowingly. The doubts were many, though. She knew how expertly and efficiently a vampire killed. That some type of creature could take one out was a lie. Edward himself had said that vampires were on top of the food chain; an entity graced with immunity from harm except from each other.

Studying her face, Jake waited for her fall out. This beautiful woman was now and would forever be a part of his life even if he wasn't the one to have her. By tomorrow, she would know everything and no longer be able to hide or deny events.

Happiness in knowing she would always be human tasted bittersweet to Jacob Black in that moment.

"We're still friends, right?" He finally asked.

Bella had long stopped thinking of anything but her friend. Out of everything and everyone, he would always be the structure of support she could count on.

"Of course, Jacob. I'll always be your friend. I love you." Standing up on her toes, Bella reached out to give him another warm, comforting hug which he easily reciprocated, holding her longer than he normally would.

"I know you do, honey. I love you too which is why I have to ask a favor of you." All of Jacob's confidence seemed to evaporate at his request.

"Ok?" Bella half asked, half agreed.

"I need you to come to La Push tonight. There are a few more things that I need to tell you, but others have to be present."

"Like what? What needs to be said the company of others that can't be said here, just between us?"

"If I could tell you, I would. But I made a promise, and even with the threat of death, I can't break it." The words nearly choked Jake and Bella placed a comforting hand on his forearm.

"Hey…hey, Jake, it's okay. If it means this much to you, I'll go. Charlie will be ecstatic to know I'm going out for the night. You want me to pick you up?"

The feeling of compassion from another human, eased Jake's inner turmoil; not reminding, but enforcing his thoughts that Bella was the most important thing right now.

His smile was small, but genuine. "No, that's okay. Just park at the beach entrance; I'll meet you there at eight."

* * *

><p>Now that Jacob had left, Bella was left to her own thoughts and concerns. She had never seen Jacob looked this scared and the unknown source of the fear ate at her. He had said it wasn't directly about him, but his unease lead her to believe that whatever she was about to find it, it was going to hurt.<p>

When the time approached, she got in her truck to make the well-known drive, once again left to ponder. What if he had to tell her she wasn't allowed to see him anymore? That her fraternization with his enemy was grounds for permanent banishment from la Push?

Her fears subsided after reaching the beach. A large fire was blazing with a dozen or so people scattered around. Putting on a happy face, she cautiously approached, looking for a familiar face, not knowing that Jacob was trailing silently behind her.

"Hey Bells," he whispered when she stopped short of the gathering.

"Jake! I didn't hear you. Is this where we're supposed to meet?"

"For now. In a little bit we'll go someplace else to talk." Gently grasping her arm, Jake led her towards the others already here.

"Jake," Bella whispered, her uncertainty evident. "I don't recognize any of these people. What is this?"

"Just a small gathering of some of the families from La Push." Pointing towards a towering figure a few yards away, Jake spoke. "You remember, Embry? And further past him is Quil."

The two boys Bella had remembered from Jake's garage were nothing like they had been. If Jake hadn't said so, Bella would've never recognized their identities.

The wolves did their part to orchestrate this stage as best as they could, strategically placing people around the fire where Jake sat with Bella. No one really spoke to her other than her best friend when he handed her a plate with food. His hand was constantly on her back and shoulder, Bella not realizing it was for equal parts of comfort and grounding.

Bella followed Jacob around like a shadow when he stood up to speak to others; observing his interactions with people she didn't know. Even when they found themselves in a semi-circle around Billy and Harry, Bella felt like she no longer knew these people. The occasional glance or observant stare lacked comfort.

Eventually the night grew longer, the fire brighter and the people more sparse.

"Isabella Swan," a deep voice greeted Bella as she and Jake made their way towards another bonfire, this one smaller and more secluded. Too dark to see clearly, she had to wait until she was only feet in front of the flame to see who had spoken. A tall Native American stood on the other side in relaxed fashion. To his left sat another man; Bella was sure she had seen him before, but couldn't recall a name to go with the face.

"Hello," was her squeaky response, Jacob nudging for her to have a seat. Slowly lowering onto the aged driftwood, the man who had greeted her sat as well; Jacob had positioned himself right next to Bella and away from the other two.

Jacob's presence suddenly didn't feel like it was enough to keep Bella comforted.

* * *

><p><span><em><strong>New Phase of Darkness<strong>_

* * *

><p>"My name is Sam Uley," the large figure announced, causing Bella to shiver. She knew who he was. He had found her in the forest a few months ago, but after that night, she hadn't thought anything about him. Pinching herself, Bella tried to focus on what the man was about to tell her.<p>

"Jacob came to see you today and has reported that you now know our secret." At her nod, he spoke again. "We are forbidden to share our gift with outsiders; only those who become a wolf and their mates gain this knowledge."

Bella froze, her mid going into overdrive. Edward had explained the vampires had the same rules as well; if it were to become known that a human knew of them, death was the only solution. It had only been a week since she saw the wolves, perhaps they too had decided she was a liability that needed to be removed.

"However," Sam continued, unaware of Bella's concerns, "You are already acquainted with the Cold Ones and the knowledge of one more mythological creature cannot be a burden. We ask that you tell no one, not even your father. Our discovery would decimate the tribe and quite possibly humanity as well."

Sam paused while Bella struggled to keep up. When she finally nodded her understanding, he went on with his speech.

"There is much, much to explain in regards to our lineage, dating back to before time had a value to us. I would skip most of it for now as Billy Black usually tells the story well. However, there is an occurrence that has taken place and it is imperative that you be told now."

Closing his eyes for a moment of silent prayer and guidance, Sam willed for this evening to go well.

"A wolf's mate is called an imprint; it is a bond stronger than love and cherished more than life. There is no way to refute such a gift despite possible reluctance from either party." Sam cast his eyes to the other man before him, something akin to a warning flashing quickly before disappearing.

"We find ourselves in a quandary. Past imprintings have only hinted to taking place amongst our people or neighboring tribes, but Paul is your mate, Isabella. Through our Spirits, you have been destined to be with him and him with you."

Bella froze, right down to no longer breathing as she replayed what this man, Sam, had just told her. Her eyes focused on the other man who had to be Paul. Like the rest of the Quileute's, he was deeply tanned with black hair and built similar to Jake. All save for his eyes.

One summer, Renee had taken Bella on a crazy summer vacation to Kansas. For two weeks that had practically lived in their car as Renee stayed glued to a radio while pouring over a map in search of where possible tornados would hit. Three days before they were to leave, one of the most violent storms of the century had struck nearby.

It was hard to forget the event. Out of nowhere, the sun kissed sky had turned sinister. While not as black as night, there had been little natural light. Knitted tightly together, the clouds had resembled stones, deeply hued in the color of slate, and unforgiving with a promise of persecution.

Just like Paul's eyes.

"Is the squab speechless at finding out she has a betrothed?" Paul cut in, his voice as rough as his eyes were. "I can assure you, I am no more excited at the prospect than you are."

"You can't…I'm not even…I don't…," Bella struggled with what to say, her words rushed and garbled.

_You can't have me!_

_I'm not even Native American!_

_I don't love you; I love your enemy!_

The words echoed in her mind, physical articulation of completing any of those thoughts, lost. Finally she threw out the only card she felt worth presenting. "I don't believe in marriage!"

"Relax, sweetheart. I have no intention of marrying you; hell, I don't even want to see you! But neither of us really has a choice in the matter, so we're stuck."

Sam hissed something, quick words that caused Paul to snap away and glare at him, the hatred intensifying in his stare.

"Jacob?" Bella croaked, looking for some type of help or support in this sea of misery. Her best friend nearly choked on his words.

"I'm so sorry, Bella. None of us have any type of choice in the matter. If we did, I would have picked you for myself, but an imprint doesn't work like that."

The cold dread of uncertainty settled harshly in the pit of her stomach. Jacob, with his tear-filled compassionate eyes trained at Bella, sucked out any chance of hope she may have had.

"I don't want him," Bella stated in a mechanical voice. "Him or anyone else."

Bella didn't know that a wolf's hearing was as proficient as a vampire's. When Paul spoke, it made her jump.

"Join the club, squab. I don't want you either, as I already said. Unfortunately we're both fucked into this shit filled life."

"Paul, that's enough! Once you both have realized the benefits, this will go much easier," Sam intoned, his belief in Imprinting held as a truth more solid than the earth itself. He, himself, had cast aside what he thought was love when Emily had appeared.

"But…but…Jake said imprinting wasn't completely binding; that I had a choice," Bella cried in dismay, her eyes searching each wolf present. "What are you saying?"

Paul had heard Jake tell Bella that line of shit while Sam had explained about the wolves. How there was always a choice. He wanted to smack the pup senseless for giving the girl any hope of turning away.

"No one ever has a choice, squab, neither do you," Paul stated in an equally dead tone.

He watched as Bella both digested and fought the condemning words and thoughts. A life sentence given without trial, without a jury and without having committed a fault to begin with.

"And the legends, the stories, were they all a lie?" She tried again, unable to accept that this was it.

"Really, Swan. I expected you to be smarter than that," came her mate's scathing reply, inflicting a circular flinch throughout the group. Paul's voice turned even more menacing.

"Don't you get it?" He hissed. "We're stuck with each other; more binding than a marriage, an imprint is the epitome of belonging. Love, magic, fairytales, soul mates, all of it tied up in one neat little package with a huge bow of shit to hold it all together."

"You can't force me to stay with you…I refuse," Bella answered back. Simple, irrefutable and so wrongly misbelievable, Paul almost smiled. Almost…

He gave in and barked out a short sound of humorless laughter. "Let me know how that works out for you. You can run, but you can't hide. Not from a werewolf and definitely not from your soul mate."

Bella lifted her chin In defiance. "I might be your soul mate, but you aren't mine."

"You sound sure of yourself," Paul remarked casually, the hint of a challenge this little squab had issued fueling his baser need to acknowledge it.

"I am. I can just tell Charlie I want to go live in Florida. Or in a few months when acceptance letters stat to come in, I can disappear into the life of a college student, never to return, no questions asked."

Jacob's hand, which had been slowly rubbing comforting circles on her back, ceased movement. Nobody ever walked away from their wolf. Bella's current attitude was similar to dangling a promise of food to a wild creature and then pulling it away before they could have it.

The hairs on the back of Paul's neck tingled. His squab wasn't grandstanding, she really thought she meant what she was saying and it pissed him off. He saw Jacob shift positions, ready to swing her out of the way should his wolf lunge. Sam too, had tensed himself. Whether to help protect the girl or tackle Paul, he didn't know, nor did he care.

"And tell me, that day we found you in the forest entertaining the bloodsucker, how did you feel? Was it easy, to go home and forget about what you'd seen? How after staring into the eyes of gray wolf, you just forgot about him."

"My feelings were normal and to be expected! It's not every day a girl comes across man-eating creatures that could have taken her life with one swipe."

Her heart beat increased, the enormity of what had happened and what was yet to come, sending a tidal wave of emotions that activated a psychological response of fight or flight.

Bella would lose in either action but her mind had decided she was going to use both.

"That's not what you were thinking though, was it?" Paul asked, ignoring the signs her body gave off. "You weren't thinking that you were about to die, not after we stared at each other. I heard your heart, racing in fear and then it slowed to a pattern of excitement, but not before I could smell you."

Bella's blush was firmly bloomed before the words could even leave her mouth. "I was confused, scared! I can't control what I'm thinking, or what my body does when the adrenaline is coursing through me."

"Maybe not," Paul agreed without a care. "But what about afterwards? What about that night when you sat up till four a.m. in a confused daze, wondering where you had seen those eyes before and when you might see them again?"

"You spied on me?" Bella stuttered in outrage. "How dare you?"

Paul ignored her continuing with his observations. "That next week, before Jake told you what he was –what we all were—and you came to La Push again, demanding answers, the entire time there, you looked over your shoulder, thinking about those eyes and how they made you feel and when I finally let you catch my gaze and our eyes clicked. Your heart slowed the same way as in the field and your scent changed. Everybody knew it, including Jake."

Bella could no longer focus on what was being said. She grasped on to the one word, the only person who had ever acted selflessly on her behalf. She now had a target to direct her best friend's absence on.

"You tortured him, didn't you?"Bella screamed, standing up to point at the accuser. "You told him things about me so he wouldn't be my friend anymore. That's why it took so long for him to come talk to me, because you needed his support for me to listen to your filth."

Paul thought he could handle the words Bella spoke to him. As a human, screaming women in the middle of an immature tiff, were to be ignored until they shut up. Then he could kiss them senseless, ignite their passion and get what he wanted.

Paul, the human, could've done that, but Paul the wolf was to close to the surface. An imprint did not seek comfort from a different pack member and wolf was angry.

"I didn't have to tell him shit!" Paul yelled back. He didn't need to stand to make his point; his words alone caused the little squab to sit back down quickly. "Jake knew what was going on, along with everyone else. Sam could barely keep it together as an Alpha, what with little Jakey chomping at the bit. You can't dictate to an imprinted wolf about his imprint and regardless of what folklore states, I didn't want you."

_Didn't?_

He had spoken past tense and hope flared to life in Bella's young-girl heart. Through lowered lashes, she studied the man suddenly claiming to be her soul-mate. Paul could be charismatic when he wanted too; Bella had watched him interact with people from afar not realizing until today who he was.

Her own self-will faltered…maybe Edward had left because he knew that she wasn't meant to be his and belonged elsewhere? Had she deluded herself all along into thinking the vampire held an affection for her that was more than a passing fancy?

The icy wind from the ocean blew harshly against her back and causing her to shiver. Back in Phoenix, at the hospital after James's attack, Edward had held her hand. The love and determination he had shown in his eyes were all that she had needed. Hardening her heart, Bella knew that regardless of what the wolves told her, her life belonged with Edward.

The fire continued to crackle as the group sat quietly. Paul knew it was all bullshit, the connection he was supposed to have with Isabella. His body told him to love her, care for her and protect her above all, but his brain knew it was trap. Self-awareness could overcome even the invisible chains the others wolves laid down for towards an imprint.

Bella felt trapped and she shivered again. She didn't love Paul; she didn't even like him as a person. To be told that they were soul mates was a bad joke all around. But the look on Jake's face, the resolution emitting from Sam and the bitterness thrown off in waves from Paul, told Bella that this wasn't a mistake.

The tremors increased with her breathing. Edward, through all of his warnings and actions had loved Bella for herself, hadn't he? His confession of at first wanting to hurt her, kill her even, had been overcome by his desire to know her and love her. The vampire in him hadn't been forced to be with her, it had been his own choice. This, she would not dispute and clung to the non-existent hope that he would once again return and save her.

The world was not spinning, but she shook all the same, sitting around the warmth of the fire at the beach surrounded by people she had never feared, but respected. How could they ask this of her? To tell her she was to become one of them without a choice at all? Even the Cullens, despite their own misgivings, had given her a choice. Yet, here, on this cold beach, she no longer had any type of choice.

"I need to go," Bella cried out, standing up and forcing Jake's hand off of her.

"Bells…I know this is a shock but it's going to work out. I'll be there for you. You don't have to do go through this alone," Jake called out to the retreating figure. Despite her diminutive height and speed she quickly vanished behind the brush weed.

Sam stood up after a few minutes, looking at the two men. "Paul? Do you plan to go retrieve your imprint before she gets lost?"

"Nope," he answered, refusing to tense his body into movement. "She's on tribal land and if I recall, Jared has patrol tonight. She's safe from whatever might be out there to get her."

"She's not safe from herself," Jake spat out before turning to Sam. "Can I please go find her and make sure she's okay? None of us can hear her over the waves and I'm worried she might have tripped or twisted her ankle since she was running in the general direction of the cliff paths."

"Give me a break, Black," Paul huffed angrily, tired of fighting his wolf but refusing to give in. "We can't hear her breathing or her heartbeat, but if she fell and cried out, we'd be able to hear that."

"Not if she passed out and hit the ground before she could cry out."

"Then she should pay more attention to where she's going. I'm an imprinter not a fucking fairy god-mother. If she can't make it back to her truck without assistance then she shouldn't be wandering alone."

"And if one of us went with her, she wouldn't be alone," Jake yelled. Turning back to his Alpha he asked again," Can I please go and make sure she's okay?"

"You have to give her time, Jake," Sam answered, troubled at the turn of events. "We've just presented her with a shock; let her adjust on her own accord before smothering her."

The tension was too thick to allow everyone to remain at the bonfire. With a sigh, Sam began to bank the fire, using a damp limb to smother the logs before throwing sand. When the trail of smoke had completely faded and Paul had yet to move, Sam just sighed.

"Go ahead and get her, Jake. Take her home and then meet back at my place." He didn't even say anything to Paul as he started to walk away, knowing the arrogant man would eventually get up and join him.

With a kick of sand at Paul, Jake ran past Sam to find Bella. She'd be plenty pissed and probably crying but Jacob would deal with it. Once he cleared the weeds, his pace slowed in search of Bella.

As he walked along the cliffs, he could see her standing a hundred feet or so away, staring off into the sea looking lost and confused. Not wanting to startle her, he waited to call out her name until he was within arm's reach.

It was a decision he would live to regret for the rest of his life.

* * *

><p>Furiously wiping away the traitorous tears, Bella wondered again for the millionth time how her life had gotten so far out of hand. From one unhealthy relationship to the next and she hadn't even sought them out!<p>

If Jacob had said he was her imprint, Bella could've breathed easier. With Jake, everything was easier. He wasn't the type of guy to demand she do things she didn't want to and as long as she stayed relatively harm-free, she could easily live a double of life of pretend. Pretending to exist while mourning what she couldn't have.

Things had changed for the worse. After Sam explained how an imprint worked, Bella felt sick. If they were supposed to be right for each other—a guy who hated her on sight, and a girl who was equal parts terrified and disgusted with the guy—her life held no possibilities for happiness. Paul would not stand by and let his imprint crave for another man. Add to it that the man was actually a vampire and her life was doubly troubled from Paul.

Standing at the top of the same cliff she had seen the guys jumping from so many weeks ago, Bella stared down into the inky void. There wasn't any type of light, a new moon phase currently present and only the crushing waves discerned that she was overlooking the Pacific.

Despair was a feeling Bella had lived with for so long, but now it was more. Rather than the quiet whisperings longing and discontent, it screamed full-leveled.

People made rash decisions all of the time. The only reason most were considered rash was due to the ability to live with the consequences or for others to feel the need to condemn the choices they would not make for themselves. She no longer cared what other people thought or would think.

Without an utter of surprise, farewell or regret, Bella jumped into the void.


	3. Scintilla Emerged

_**Scintilla Emerged**_

* * *

><p>Jacob stiffened. Those brief milliseconds it took for his eyes to relay the message to his mind that Bella was no longer in front of him, but had in fact vanished over the precipice caused a reflexive reaction.<p>

_She__'__s__gone_, his mind whispered as his legs tensed and sprung forward, unmindful of his position or where his launch point could cause him to strike the water. His speed was the only saving factor to be had.

Due to kinetic energy, his heavier weight and the fact that he had taken a running, forceful plunge as opposed to Bella's casual walk-off, Jacob caught Bella during the fall.

He hadn't been fast enough though.

There was no time prepare. Bella had been intent on death and if Jake had been any later she would've succeeded. As it was, he rolled, his right shoulder smashing into a rock. The bones cracked, the skin shredded and pain bloomed instantly inside of his mind, his grip on Bella relaxing enough so the icy Pacific could embrace her with its own evil clutch.

Bella felt the warmth of Jacob, not knowing someone was holding her. When the bindings released her, the loss of heat was equally noticeable, as brief as it had been. The sharp prickle of frosted water encasing , ghosted over skin before she was grabbed violently and sucked deeply into a powerful spring tide.

She didn't have time to think about death, or life, or any of things she had left behind. Her taking had been abrupt, saltwater filling her surprised open mouth and burning a path into her lungs as her body struggled to both breath and stop breathing. The fight was over almost as soon as it started. Less than ten feet below surface and approximately twenty feet from where she had first plunged, Bella's head struck a rock before the water forced her body into an etched nook within the cliff's wall.

Jacob could spare no concern for his own injuries; he would live regardless. Bella, however, was not strong enough to fight the currents sentencing her to death. Thrusting himself down, Jacob allowed the tides to carry him like he thought they might be with Bella.

Visibility was poor even with a heightened sense of sight. Arms stretched wide, Jacob felt the rocks as he sped by them, hoping the treasure he sought wasn't battered beyond repair, but knowing it was a possibility. Tendrils caressed his fingers and Jacob grabbed, fighting the water with his legs as he struggled to reclaim Bella's inert form.

Werewolf versus water was any match to call. He broke surface with her, fighting the tide to get away from the rocks and out into more open water so he could tread back to shore safely with Bella.

"Come on, Bella, breathe!" Jake coaxed as he pounded her back. A warbly sound emitted from the back of her throat and Jake stopped his pounding, turning her to the side as water gushed from her mouth. Racking coughs erupted from her and she rolled on to her stomach before lifting herself up to continue dispelling the water.

Jake sat next to her in relief, his hands hovering at her sides. The second she began to falter, he wrapped his hands back around her, pulling her over to collapse once again into the sand. The rain thickened, stinging pellets of water hitting the skin of the three shirtless men and half-dead female currently occupying the beach.

Her skin, already cold, grey and goose-fleshed began to vibrate as she trembled under the harsh weather conditions.

"Jacob, your shoulder-"

"Leave it; it'll heal," Jacob answered Sam, unconcerned about anything but Bella.

Sam had no doubt that Jake would be fine; currently though he was not. Unfortunately, someone else was worse and Sam needed to address that issue.

"Did she break anything? Is she okay to move?"

Jake ran his hands over her arms and back, gently applying pressure to feel for unusual bone movement or breakage. "No, I don't think so. But if we don't get her somewhere warm, she'll die for sure."

"It might be best for all of us if she did," Paul spat out bitterly having walked over to the others, glaring at his imprint.

Unaware of the movement, Paul felt the fist connect with his jaw before Sam's harsh voice erupted. "Not here, Paul, and not now. If you want to talk about this, we will. Right now, your unhappiness is the least of my concerns.

Rubbing his jaw, Paul watched as Jacob picked up the girl and took off at a brisk pace, their Alpha following closely and giving instructions. When the figures disappeared over the sand dunes, Paul turned back to the ocean, watching and wondering why he couldn't have caught a break and why his need of being rid of the Swan girl caused his chest to throb in discomfort.

* * *

><p>Jake watched her trudge slowly towards the front door, a broken spirit of a girl whom he couldn't help. He knew who could, though it was just a matter of making Paul see the light. Taking two steps away from the house, Jake stopped.<p>

What kind of idiot was he, leaving a suicidal girl alone until her father could get home? Bella was still hurting, mostly emotionally and if her wolf couldn't get his ass over here to help out, Jacob needed to act as the surrogate.

Slowly he walked to the front door. The silence of a lone person on the other side, hurting and needing comfort ate away and his own soul. If the spirits had just understood the error of attaching Paul to her, they certainly would've done things differently.

He tried to shove his self doubts away as to why he hadn't been worthy of Bella's love. Not from her from the entity known as imprinting. Exactly like and nothing at all similar to something akin to a presence, imprinting carried its own aura. Like a ghost hovering just out of a person's senses until it ensnared them.

"Hi, Bella," Jake greeted again even though he had just said good bye.

"What…what are you still doing here?" She asked hesitantly, clearly wanting to be alone and solidifying Jake's resolve to make sure that didn't happen. "Did you forget something?"

"Can I come in? I really want to talk to you," Jake explained, hoping she'd agree. Her look said she wasn't sure and he pushed the issue as if she had a choice. "Is that okay?"

Rather than answering she opened the door wider to let him pass knowing that if she didn't he'd sit outside until Charlie came home or call an adult to practically baby-sit her. If she was to be watched, it might as well be by her best-friend.

Bella turned to walk back into the living room, leaving Jake to close the door and follow on his own will. Her couch beckoned to her and she collapsed into the cushion as if boneless, too tired and exhausted to feign alertness.

Perched in one of the arm chairs, Jake watched as Bella closed her eyes. She was probably sleepy but this wasn't a lethargic type of move from her; it was one of dread.

Now was his chance, Jake thought, to ask her why she had jumped. How could such a smart girl think that death was any way to deal with a problem even if said problem had Paul in it?

"You said you wanted to talk," Bella encouraged, still refusing to open her eyes. "Is this about Paul?"

"Paul's…uhh…he's trying to deal, Bella," Jake stammered. Making excuses for his pack mate was not what he wanted to talk about but any type of solution hinged on it. "He's having a hard time accepting the imprint too…" trailing off, Jake watched Bella stiffen.

"Are you worried about Paul?" She whispered.

"Not as much as I am about you. Paul is and probably always will be an ass, but, Bella, he could be good for you too. You guys just need some time and space to work this out."

Bella sighed heavily before standing up to pace around the room. Staying glued to the chair, Jake watched as she had some sort of internal debate before speaking.

"Bella, it isn't going to be instant love between you two; not at first. However, the Quilete spirits have blessed you with a tie to our people.

"Jake, I'm sorry you wasted your time to stay and talk about that. I've tried to tell you. I already loved someone. I don't want to try again."

Whispered words tore the wall Jacob had built inside his heart to refrain from yelling at Bella, crumbling any respect he may have felt about her predicament. She was still obsessed over a creature that had destroyed her entire identity.

"You act like a mime; you can't even function normally any more. Every action, lack of reaction, everything is just an act, Bella. You aren't living."

"Jake, you don't understand. I love him." It was no longer past tense. She still loved the monster that nearly cost her, her life.

"No you don't! You crave him like some sick obsession. You feel sorry and that's not love. Love allows you to walk away, to be able to function knowing that if the best thing is to let go, you do it. Bella, he didn't let you go; he dazzled you and then dropped you like yesterdays news."

"Don't talk to me about love, Jacob Black! You stand before me, preaching like you have all of the answers and that love is peaceful and beautiful and you know that's a lie because you can't stay away from me. You aren't able to function normally without craving to see me, needing to be in my presence because you crave me like the heroin addict you accuse me of being and you aren't even supposed to be with me!" Bella paused, taking in deep breathes.

"I wasn't good enough for him," she remincesed quietly. Her voice grew, not in strength but in echoing pain and Jacob winced.

"He once told me I was his brand of heroin; that our love was as strong as the most magnetic pull to have ever occurred."

Bella had a little smile on her face as she said that and Jake felt violently ill. The smile vanished just as quickly as it had appeared and she continued.

"But I failed him. Somehow, I wasn't good enough for him and if I get to fail at an existence then that is my burden to bear, not yours."

Jake felt like he had been sucker punched. An imprint was nothing like the mass-destructive relationship she and that leech Cullen had.

"No, it isn't! God, Bella. Yes, he is like a drug; an idiotic unhealthy obsession that will end in death! There's nothing, nothing, romantic about a heroin addiction. Any recovering addict will tell you, doing drugs is walking that fine line between fantasy and reality, but heroin? Heroin is dancing with the devil and that is exactly what Cullen is. He is a devil; a demon in disguise and he will drag you to hell with him if you don't break free of this and walk away."

Her face withered as Jake unleashed, unable to stop himself from trying to help break free of this self-delusional, destructive bubble she had herself wrapped in.

"Look at you!" He continued, unable to hold back anymore than he had been before. " You are in fucking withdrawals. You barely have enough flesh to cover your bones; you have dark circles under your eyes and never finish eating a goddamn meal. You fucking wake up in the middle of the night, screaming and shaking, just like a druggie cut off. Why can't you see it?"

Jake had nothing else to convince her with. If Bella wanted to stop living because of something that used her, he couldn't stop it. If she wanted to take an easy out, however, she wouldn't get very far with a pack wolves to watch her every move.

All Jake had to offer was the chance to attempt to live again. To see that it wasn't always a heartache to love and be loved but if it was? If it was, he would catch her and hold on tightly right along with her.

"I can't listen to this; I don't want to hear it. Nobody loves me!" she screamed before falling into a heap on the floor.

Jake's heart shattered at the sight of her broken figure. Her soul was in agony as she sobbed; his own an exact echo as it felt the fissures widen.

Walking over to where she was sobbing, he sat down just inches from her. Both of them were crying and Jake did the only thing left for him to do.

He hugged her.

Having spent many nights listening to her cry while sleeping, nothing was like this. With every gulp of air, her body would quake as she sobbed, soaking Jake's chest. They sat like that for awhile, his own silent agony as great as hers.

"You don't have to accept him, Bella," Jacob choked, the lie soothing and blistering all the same. "If you are really that selfish, not to even give him a chance, that's your choice and I won't force you; I can't. I'm simply asking you to try. I won't push you into anything you don't want. Just don't give up. Don't let go of the only life you have."

Bella was completely silent, leaving Jake no clue as to whether or not she understood what he was trying to tell her.

Bella's misery wasn't about defeat. The life she had attempted to throw away had been thrown back at her and Jacob failed to see the significance. Her tears—agony in the form of the element of life- fell out of shameful acceptance.

"Jake, Paul doesn't even like me. You're here because you have to be. As my friend and his fellow pack mate, you feel obligated to be here. You can say it's because you want to, but it isn't. Not really. Our community here is small; everybody talks about everyone. I know that Paul's rough. He doesn't want commitments or relationships. Use and discard, that's what makes him happy. But because he's a wolf, he had to imprint. Some other thing chose for him to want me. If it wasn't for your need to make sure the pack stayed happy and focused, you wouldn't be here right now, talking about love and acceptance."

Bella's speech echoed throughout the room long after the words had ceased. Too many what-ifs and should haves replayed in Jacob's mind as his perception of his best friend changed. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for her; then, now or in the future. Invisible boundaries of what they were to each other shattered in pieces. Maybe he had gone about this the wrong way or maybe Bella just didn't care.

Jake knew Charlie would be coming home soon. His body didn't want to cooperate as he released Bella and stood up to leave, ignoring any consequences that had yet to come. With the greatest of efforts, Jake walked to the door, Bella still sitting on the floor like a discarded rag. The words rushed out of him before he could think twice.

"There are many kinds of love, Bella, and each one is different and unique. Don't give up because one type turned out so badly for you. You'll spite more than just yourself if you do." Turning the doorknob, her voice stopped him.

"I can't promise anything, Jake, but I'll try."

Softly whispered, clipped and broken, not a promise and yet the words bathed Jake's heart like a psalm.

"That's all I can ask for, Bella. Please call me when you're ready."

With the sound of the dead-bolt being locked, he stripped out of his shorts and lunged into the nearby forest, howling his mood.

"Where is he?" Jake snarled at the only other mind presently in wolf form. Jared wasn't stupid, he knew exactly why Jake was mad and who he was asking for.

"Him and Sam went for a walk to talk about things."

"Get them both. Now!" Jake demanded before unleashing a guttural growl of rage.

Jared was not accustomed to Jacob possessing any type of force behind his requests, but he felt it then. With a nod, he turned to carry out as asked, setting a brisk pace.

The sudden inhaled scent of a sweetened acid had Jared returning to the Swan house quickly, the sound of Black's angry howls, deafening.

* * *

><p>Miles away from houses or people, Sam finally stopped walking waiting for Paul to catch up. He had purposely lagged behind, not wanting to have this discussion with anyone, but especially not with Sam.<p>

Without any type of preamble, Sam jumped in. "You can't keep doing this, Paul."

"I think I can," Paul answered cockily.

"The woman you are bound to protect, cherish and love just tried to kill herself! Had I granted Jacob's request any later and she would be dead!" The Alpha's voice had risen in rage.

Out of all the wolves, Paul knew the feelings of rage best. Sam's menacing tone didn't affect him one bit.

"Yeah, he might have been." Shrugging indifference, Paul met Sam's eyes dead-on. "Too bad you didn't. It would've been better."

Literally, the Alpha stumbled, catching himself on a nearby tree he used as support.

"How can you be so bitter towards someone so innocent?" Sam whispered in complete bewilderment. "She isn't the cause of all of this. She didn't activate our ancestral genes. It wasn't Bella who brought the blood suckers to La Push. They were here before she even arrived to live with her father."

"She brought them closer to us. All her little trips to visit her puppy Jake allowed for remnants of the leech presence to filter amongst us." Paul's voice roughened into disgust. "To taint our bodies and make us into what we are!"

Sam raised his arms up and wide in pleading, supplication, misunderstanding and disgust. "What you are is a gift! It was and is an honor amongst our tribe to become a wolf. Not just anyone can be one or choose to accept this fate. It has already been predetermined."

"I think that's where you're missing the point," Paul remarked still unimpressed. "I don't accept this; not one fucking bit."

Seething in anger, Sam approached his brother. "How has it changed anything?" he hissed, jabbing his finger into Paul's chest with each point he made. "You were never the scholarly type; didn't have ambitions to take any grand adventures around the world or discover hidden things. You were just an average kid with passing grades who was quickly becoming a copy of what his parents had been."

"And just what exactly were my parents, Sam?" Paul growled back, angry for being angry; for being compared; and for most of all, for being asked to explain.

"Don't make me say it, Paul. Not now, not ever. We both know how that tale goes and how you had already been on a collision course to repeat it."

"Say it!" He screamed, pushing his Alpha away. "Say it out loud! Talk about how I have a temper, was drinking, screwing anyone who was willing to give me five seconds of their time."

The eerie laugh that left Paul's throat was anything but humorous.

"I got news for you, Sam. Becoming a wolf hasn't changed any of that. I still have an unspeakable temper only now there are only my brothers who can withstand it and even that is still debatable. I still drink except now, instead of beer, its hard liquor; moonshine home brewed here at the Rez. As for the women, I'd fuck every last one of them if I could but thanks to the fucked up furriness, my body won't cooperate."

Disgust poured off of Sam. "You don't even try, Paul. You could easily change all of that about you with the gift our ancestors have bestowed upon you, but you'd rather piss and moan like a bitch. How everything is so unfair to you and none of it is your fault." Tired of trying to understand, Sam turned away from Paul. "You think all of your problems are the world's fault."

Equally tired of reasoning and explanations Paul resorted to what he was best known for. "Not the entire world, Sam, just one human's."

The Alpha in Sam wouldn't let him give up. Nevertheless it was with shoulders slumped when he continued to ask unanswered questions.

"Why won't you even try? She's an honest, innocent, non complicated girl. There isn't a mean bone in her body and if you just took some time to get to know her, you'd both be a lot happier."

"She hates me, is abso-fucking-lutely terrified of me. At the one or two bonfires she's tagged along with Jake to go to, she clutches his side, not even bothering to associate with us."

Slapping his chest to emphasis 'us' Paul continued with he had everyone convinced was truth. "Her eyes -constantly scanning the area for when and where I plan to pop out of- hoping that she could leave and Jake would always protect her from invisible evilness."

Sam didn't know where to begin. Paul's hatred seemed to come from a time long before he had phased. The question was, why was the manifestation so strong now?

Sam's own recollection of memories spilled forth. "You do everything you can to scare her and did so even before you became a wolf. Before the rest of you phased, I watched. I knew when Bella was visiting as I to could smell the stench of leech on her. Yet, even then, you scowled at her; made derogatory comments to anyone who would listen about the white girl slumming it up when she hung out with an elder's child. Not once have you said one nice, or even civil, word to her in passing."

The enormity of what had been going on all along crashed once again into Sam's conscience, bringing forth newly restrained contempt.

"Damn it, Paul! You're her soul-mate; fucking act like it."

If Paul could've inked the absurdity of imprinting onto his Alpha's forehead, he would've done so right then and there. Instead, he chose to ridicule.

"Again, Sam, you have it all wrong. This imprint thing, the one I have zero fucking say about, isn't me. I didn't, and don't, want it and even if I did, it wouldn't be with her."

"But you do have it, whether you want it or not and at this point all you can do is embrace it," Sam stated in a tone that left no choice of an alternative.

"Paul the wolf wants it, Sam, but Paul the man refuses to accept it." Stepping up to his Alpha, the words trickled out of his mouth like an incurable poison. "The wolf may have been a gift to me and it might have made me physically strong, but mentally? Mentally, I AM still Paul and that part of me will always win."

Sam tasted the bitterness as he uttered an unspeakable command. "I could force you."

Paul knew that look. "No, you couldn't," he challenged.

Sam may be a leader but he wasn't a dictator. He would never ask a wolf to do something he himself wasn't willing to do and while Sam had happily jumped onboard the imprint wagon, he had done so with choice.

Sam Uley was not an individual who could invoke another to hand over their free will. Paul knew this to a fault.

Nervously, Sam licked his lips, trying to rid himself of a dry mouth.

"Yeah, Paul, I could," he said, his words surprising both of them. "I could force you to hold your tongue; command you not to utter a single mean thing to her while she is in your presence."

"You think Swan is going to thank you for that?" Paul asked, absurdity and incredulity swirling about in his mind. "Do you think she's going to go home and think I'm suddenly a nice guy and will love and cherish her until death do us part?"

"I think it would be a start. With you silent, you might actually get to know her, like her, and hopefully come to love her. She's not the bad-guy here, Paul. That's all you."

"You might think that's going to work, but I already know it won't. You can force me to stay silent, you can force me to stay within a foot radius of her, but you can't force me to say words of niceness or friendliness. "

There was no arguing with Paul when his stubbornness was set. Sam knew that as Alpha it was up to him to set his pack mate straight and allow for the life that needed to exist for both a wolf and its imprint.

Opening and closing his mouth several times in indecision, Sam willed for the proper words of command to flow. The crashing of nearby tress changed his mind.

"What the fuck," Paul muttered standing up straight to stare in the same direction as Sam. As the sound became louder, both men crouched into a defensive position, ready to strike if need be. The canine whimper was heard at the same moment the sound of a heart beat was.

Jared stopped short in his flight upon seeing the men he was looking for. The shimmering of a phase occurred and before he could even lift his head properly the words tumbled out of his mouth.

"Leeches, at least three, are here!"

"Where are the others? Sam demanded in reference to the wolves.

"Surrounding them. Jake is livid and we fear the treaty will be broken."

"How?"

"Jacob was returning Isabella home when they appeared. I went back, but he told me to come find you guys. The Cullens are at the Swan house and demanding her."

Paul's rage overtook him. He was phased and headed for the fight before Sam could dictate the plans.

He may not want an imprint, but he certainly wasn't going to let them take her without knowing of the consequences.


	4. Supernova

_**Supernova**_

* * *

><p>"Don't come any closer, bloodsucker!" Jacob threatened, his arms wrapped possessively around Bella as they stood on her front porch. She had heard the approaching car and had run out to the porch where Jake—barely having enough time himself to phase human and dress- grabbed her to keep her safe.<p>

As if this was an everyday occurrence, the vampires climbed out of their car, quietly shutting the doors as they looked towards the figures before them.

"Love, are you okay?" Edward asked, his attention solely focused on the small woman. Her shock at seeing the Cullens was great: she shivered, fat gentle tears rolling from her wide eyes, unable to speak.

With a quick hand motion, Edward indicated for his siblings to spread out and away to take care of Jake when the time was right. "Black, I need you to listen to me carefully. We will not hurt her; however, you need to let her go now. You are scaring her and soon you will lose control causing harm to befall her. Is that what you want?"

"Shut up! You have no idea what is going on; you've been gone for months leaving someone else to clean up your dirty work. If you cared at all for her, you'd leave right now. Without Bella!"

"No!" Bella cried out in anguish. Her Edward- a real one that other people could see, too—was back. She needed to caress his cold marble skin again to reassure herself that the man of beauty was right there.

Digging her fingers into the arms that held her captive, she tried to wrangle herself away from Jacob. He wasn't physically hurting her, but she needed to get to Edward and this man was stopping her.

Her struggles were futile against the wolf. His sole objective was to get Bella away from the danger that was quickly advancing to her door.

"I'm afraid that is impossible, Black," Edward answered tersely, his eyes never leaving the young woman whom he had come to collect. "Bella wants us here and I will not leave until she says otherwise. Now, be a good puppy and let her go as she so desperately wishes."

The leech's words caused Jacob to tense further despite the rolling of his skin from the wolf within attempting to surface. Methodically he searched for where he might be able to place Bella should he lose his internal struggle. Embry and Quil materialized like a dream and Jake relaxed slightly, knowing the odds were suddenly better.

"You wish!" Jacob spat back, praying more back up was close. Where Bella was considered, the more wolves the better! "Bella is spoken for and will not be going anywhere near the likes of you or your kind. She is part of us now and will not leave with you."

"You speak of her as if she is someone's property. Bella will do as she pleases and that presently is to come to me. Let her go. Now. If I have to ask again, it won't end well for you."

With only a look, Edward acknowledged Jasper's military strategy. Black was already on the edge, but as soon as a metaphysical shimmer appeared, Jasper would launch from behind, Edward from the front and Alice could remove Bella while being out of the direct line of combat. It was tricky but the wolves shouldn't go after Alice if she held what the wolves thought of as a hostage.

"Keep talking right out your ass, Cullen. As long as Bells is with me, you won't raise a finger for fear of hurting her. Your time's limited. The others have been called and when they get here, you'll wish you had never decided to exit your car."

"Edward," Jasper called out from his left. "Three more approaching at ten and two."

"I know," Edward whispered, reaching out to hear what their minds were chanting and only partially paying attention to Black's crass language.

Despite being both man and wolf, residing in their minds as they shifted forms hurt, similar to having whispering in your ear to suddenly change to screaming. Edward struggled not to flinch as all six wolves phased and emerged from the trees, still shrouded in the shadows from any passing humans.

"Cullen," Sam greeted formally.

"Alpha," Edward responded in kind, forcing himself not to clutch his head. "Please instruct your pup to release Ms Swan and for all of you to be gone from Forks. This is not your territory."

Sam ignored his request. "We were advised that you had left the area and would not be returning. Was that a mistake?"

"More of a turn of events," Edward explained in a bored voice before becoming agitated. "Either way, you are still in violation of the treaty as this is not your land."

Smirking, Sam couldn't wait to explain the wolves' version of a 'turn of events'. "Presently, the treaty is in limbo. Ms Swan is more dependent upon on our concerns than previously thought. We will, fortunately, not be leaving this area until either you do so, or Isabella comes with us."

"She's not Quileute and you can't keep her as a prisoner just because you're afraid of who she wishes to associate with," Jasper said, his southern drawl meant to be soothing and comforting.

None of the wolves were impressed.

"Yes, she is," Sam stated, enjoying the puzzled looks upon his enemies' faces.

Jasper looked first to Alice then to Edward before asking, "Yes, she is what?"

"Quileute. Since over a month ago she is now one of us," Sam explained gloatingly, none of his pack showing any difference except Paul who flinched slightly at the reminder.

"You cannot make her into one of you despite the amount of time you may ask the universe to do so. She carries neither your blood nor that of any of your people," Jasper exclaimed only to be interrupted.

"Ridiculous," Edward spat out before giving in to clutch his aching head as the echolation rose.

"Stop with the mind games! Tell your pups to control their mental feed; it reads like blaring static." When only Black had been present, he had barely noticed the odd static hum of brain activity. With five more appearing in rapid succession, it was cacophonic.

For all of his immortal life, Edward had been able to read the thoughts from other creatures. It had taken time and discipline to learn how to control the mental noise and focus on to one specific mind, but he had managed. However, with the wolves' version of telepathy, the energy was from a different frequency even when they were human.

"Stay out of our heads then if it bothers you so much, leech," spat one of the men behind Sam.

Stepping forward, Paul cleared his mind of all but that day in the meadow when his soul was bound to Bella's. "However, since you are mind fucking us, I think you might be interested in this."

Edward became still, his humanistic mannerisms forgotten. The other wolves and vampires tensed, thinking an attack was about to occur due to Paul's mouth. However, the vision Paul revealed to him lacked any and all violence.

It was not just a picture; it was a virtual reality. Only the mythological could fully experience the overall effect of an imprinting. Vampires didn't exhibit the same phenomena, but the types of bonds it created could be felt by someone with Edward's gift. He was perplexed.

The experience he was viewing was…transcendental. Sounds and images converged, expanded and overlapped. There wasn't a way to single out the aspects other than the colors. Like a prism, each line closely blended, yet distinctly did not, merging together to form a rainbow. Had the experience been complete, Edward would have seen the same colors, knowing they were all present, but unable to pick out any one hue individually.

He spoke low and quick, Bella being the only one unable to hear the exchange.

"You have not consummated the chords," Edward stated, staring straight into Paul's eyes.

"No," Paul answered, unsure if he should be worried or relieved that a vampire could understand the intricacies of an imprint.

The tie, the connection, the bond of an imprint was an intricately woven field. Each aspect, hundreds of thousands of them, vibrated in a pattern similar to sound only detectable to the soul, but felt by the body it inhabited. Soul mates very rarely held similar chords, but once they engaged in sex, the vibrations echoed off of each other, some clashing, some encircling and others attempting to escape.

The largest portion of the imprint chords became tandem. Falling in line with each other, they created a new vibration that harmonized the soul, filling the body with an everlasting fulfilled desire.

Edwards's eyes flicked towards the confused young girl still wrapped inside Jacob's massive arms. "You have not told her?"

"She knows, but she is too human to understand," Paul replied. His initial reasoning had been to upset the leech, not allow for him to gain the upper hand.

Edward laughed at the hypocrisy of Paul's verbal statement. "Are you not the breed that wishes for her to remain human? "

"She will," Paul answered confidently, ignoring the hammering of his heart.

Edward studied Paul, his perception sharp. "She doesn't want it, does she?"

Sam stepped in and spoke up, wishing for this new threat to his people and lands to disappear. "She hasn't had the time to learn of the structural binding. Once her mind has settled she will come to realize that this is what is best for her body and soul."

The girl in question couldn't understand what was happening.

"Ed...Edward, is it really you?" Bella finally choked out, too strung out on her emotions to notice what had been happening.

Instantly, he ignored the wolves, his full focus on the woman he had come back to reclaim.

"Yes, Love, it is really I."

"I…Edward? I want…" Struggling against Jacob's arms, Bella fought to be free. "Let me go," she whispered to her would-be captor.

"Bells, they aren't safe. You've already had one near-death experience tonight, I don't think I could handle another," Jake whispered to her.

"Bella, do you need help?" Edward questioned, both he and his companions taking a step inward towards her.

"Stay away, Cullen," Sam dictated, taking a step closer as well. "She is no longer your concern, but ours."

Bella began to cry louder, watching the slight flicker of hesitation crossing her dead suitor's face. "Edward, please don't leave. I don't want this. I want to be with you."

With another step towards the stricken girl, the wolves began to growl, furious at the implications. Alice and Jasper too began to issue verbal threats, their growls echoing that of the wolves.

The only being that could override it all, stepped forward.

Paul's own growls weren't as forceful as the others and for that his wolf whined.

Time slowed as he thought about everything. The vividness of an imprint experience, the promise of bliss and the chance he, Paul Lahote, held in his hands that none of the other wolves could claim: To help keep one human girl from making the worst mistake ever by simply caring for her.

The human side of him, not humanity, but self-awareness, reasserted itself. He had never proclaimed to love Bella. He wasn't a loving, doting boyfriend or fiancé willing to do all that he could to help a simple girl who had been thrust into his life without so much as an apology. People made their own damn choices!

"Take her," Paul pushed, a sick perversion filling his mind as his pack mates gasped and cried in outrage. Bella herself seemed to shrink into herself at Paul's harsh words as eight sets of eyes swung to where he was positioned.

With three strides, he was at Jacob's side, grabbing the arms that held Bella prisoner so that she could stumble away. Everybody froze, including Jacob, who let go involuntarily of his friend. The phasing was too close to the surface to resist what her protector wanted.

"You heard me, leech! Take her and leave," Paul screamed, shoving at Bella's back to walk towards the vampire. "Get the fuck out of here and never come back. You always did think you knew the answer to everything, why not now?"

"I have always wanted what was best for her, mutt," Edward growled to the man. "If taking her away from nothing but this pain you have inflicted upon her is the answer then so be it."

Bella couldn't see the movement, but suddenly she was incased in the cold, loving arms of the man she had missed for so long and had dreamed of being held by once again.

Paul just laughed in mirthless humor at Edward's faulty promise. "In about twenty four hours, it won't be me that's causing her pain. Feel free to remember I told you so," he called over his shoulder as he disappeared back into the tree line leaving a group of angry wolves unable to supersede his decision.

* * *

><p><span><em><strong>Refraction<strong>_

* * *

><p>Most of the highways in Northern Washington were barren of traffic and shrouded in forests. Despite the darkness, a constant blur of hunter green foliage whizzed past the tinted windows of the Mercedes.<p>

"Alice?" Edward called from the back seat, still clutching a sleeping Bella.

Her mind still a fuzzy haze with regards to future events, the small vampire flashed a promising smile to her brother-in-name. "I gave you two weeks, Edward. As we speak, Renee is packing for the cruise she and her husband won. The ship leaves port tomorrow at noon and they'll just make it with ten minutes to spare."

Focusing on the scene, Alice projected Bella's mom and step-father stumbling out of a cab to approach the check point for the cruise ship glittering in the sun. A porter took their bags while the couple raced up a red-carpeted plank way before disappearing into the hull of the liner.

"What about Charlie?" Edward asked after Alice's vision faded. If the Police Chief had any doubts, they could all be in a lot of trouble at Bella's sudden disappearance. Carlisle would certainly be perturbed at the thoughtlessness of his children threatening the Cullen family secret.

"I can see him, so that tells me the wolves don't plan on visiting him any time soon. He's going to call Renee in an hour or so and lucky for us, she left her new number in a hurried detailed message on his answering machine." Reaching down at her feet, Alice rummaged through a bag and came back with a bright red cell phone that she waved towards Edward.

"It's programmed with a Phoenix-based phone number?" Edward questioned although he already knew the answer.

"Yes, and he'll call just before we reach the airport. While Jazz secures our flight," Alice beamed at her husband who was driving their car, "I'll play the part of Renee and make sure he understands that Bella is a normal teenage girl who just missed her mom and is old enough to make decisions concerning her future."

"And Bella?" Edward asked, gazing down at the beauty still in his arms. None of their preparations would matter if she was in any way upset at the plans being enacted.

Frowning, Alice looked at the girl in his lap, forcing herself to focus on the element that allowed her to 'see' the future. Without any type of explanation, the act was futile. For once in her life, Alice Cullen could not predict what would happen to one of the people she cared about most.

"I don't know Edward. The chords don't let me see her anymore," Alice replied sadly, appreciating when her husband, Jasper, reached over to squeeze her hand and instill her with a vibe of comfort.

"Look at the bright side, though. At least me not being able to see her means she wasn't dead."

Sighing softly, Edward hated to admit that Alice might be right. Had she been able to see Bella, they never would've come back, knowing she still lived and not knowing what type of life she had been about to be condemned to with a werewolf.

The acceptance of life's small favors seemed odd indeed.

* * *

><p>Bella awoke to the faint feeling of pressure in her ears as the plane ascended. There was very little light in the cabin and if he hadn't spoken she would've panicked.<p>

"Are you awake, Love? We've just taken off and it'll be a few hours before we land again. Why don't you sleep some more; you don't look well."

"Edward?" she questioned, still trying to make out where she was. "Is this a dream?"

"No, it's not. Alice and Jasper are sitting behind us; we're on our way to Michigan."

Bella didn't care that she was on her way to a different state. She didn't care that she hadn't thought so much as to what her parents or friends might think of her second disappearance in less than a year. She only cared about the source of that heavenly voice she had dreamed of for so long.

"Please, Edward, turn on a light so I can see you. I've missed you so much." Fumbling around, Bella stretched her arms upwards in search of the plastic button most planes had for passengers to control air flow and personal lights.

Her seeking fingers were quickly clasped within the cold glassy feel of Edward's hands.

"Love, I don't want to turn on any lights right now; it'll disrupt your sleep pattern."

Her whimper of outrage at being denied something as trivial as light was not what Edward had been expecting.

With reluctance he tried a different approach. "Darling, please. We won't land until three in the morning and then it is still several hours drive time to our home."

Bella felt her seatbelt being unlatched, her body lifted as he continued, "Come, let me hold you while you sleep. I promise, I really am here with you."

There was no reluctance, or hesitation as Edward wrapped his arms around her, the coldness eliciting a shiver at the contact. A few murmured words and a blanket were quickly produced to prevent his presence from leaching her warmth.

Her body relaxed even more as he began to hum, a lullaby she wasn't familiar with, but an enticing tune nonetheless.

Inside her body, a war raged with her soul, the chords seeking for another that was not present.

As the plane touched ground shortly after three a.m., the Cullens quickly hustled a drowsy Bella into a car to take off for their home. Something was wrong and while all but the girl knew it, not even the vampires could say what it was.

But they could sense it and for once in their predatorial life, they balked in hesitation.

Placidly, Bella accepted what Alice and Edward had told Charlie and Renee. Out of both of them, Charlie would be harder to navigate around than Renee would. As long as Bella called her mom every week—eliminating the chance of Renee calling Forks- while subtly planting the idea that she had decided to see the world, Renee would go along with it.

However, Charlie would literally bust a vein if he even thought his daughter had run off to be with the Cullens again. It was agreed upon that Alice would continue her mimicking charade of Renee whenever the man called, occasionally letting Bella speak to him also to help reinforce the farce.

Esme, Carlisle, Rosalie and Emmett were not living in the new house located in northern Michigan. Bella might have been disappointed to learn this, but she was so tired all of the time and had trouble focusing when Edward attempted to explain the reasoning. Any type of future beyond that was still undecided.

On the second night of her stay, Bella awoke to a painful throbbing in her chest. It might have been her heart, breathing was certainly difficult, but the beat was still strong and steady. Refusing to draw attention to herself, she gritted her teeth and bore down, relieved when the pain finally passed and she was able to return to her deep slumber.

Bella didn't notice Edward as he sat off to the side in a darkened corner, worrying and wondering.

On the morning of day four, a bleary eyed, half coherent human stumbled down the stairs of her new home in search of breakfast. She wasn't particularly hungry but the notion of heated food warming her insides was too tempting to pass on.

"Good morning, Bella," chirped Alice from a bar stool.

Unable to muster intelligent thought, much less conversation, Bella merely grunted, rigidly walking to a nearby chair and praying that the three sets of eyes staring her down were oblivious to her pain.

"Love, are you okay? You look awful. Are you coming down with something?" Hurrying over, Edward pressed his cold hand against her forehead, causing Bella to jerk back at the contact.

His hurt look forced her brain to work.

"Sorry," she whispered, failing to understand why the contact of the man she loved, the Adonis before her, caused such pain.

"Here." Thrusting a mug of steaming coffee towards her best friend, Alice mentally yelled at Edward to step back.

She jumped off of her stool, to take a step away from Bella also, sizing up what the girl was wearing.

"Bella, I don't think those wool pants were designed to be worn underneath dungarees." Scrunching her nose is distaste she tried to find one thing about Bella's current outfit that didn't clash.

Bella was triple dressed in thermal long johns and top, covered by a fleeced long sleeve shirt and wool pants covered by a padded sweater and overalls to fit over the bulk of clothing.

Alice had never given up hope of Bella returning to their lives and with that gleeful idea of determination, had continued to buy clothes for the person who she hoped would soon become a permanent part of their family.

"Are you cold, Love?" Edward inquired from his resumed spot by the stove where breakfast items were being meticulously prepared.

"A little, but the clothes help," she whispered, wrapping her chilled fingers around the mug, the heat reminding of her of something that she refused to think about.

"Well, after breakfast, I'll help you go through some of the stuff I bought so we can see if there isn't something equally warm as coordinated," Alice relented, already cataloguing if there was anything that could work.

Frowning, Edward's eyes darted to the thermostat of the house. It was a steady 85 degrees; well above any of the locations Bella had been at in Forks. Even those many nights when he had stayed over, she had always sought his cooler mass, never once needing thicker garments or blankets to survive.

Something was definitely wrong.

"Edward," Jasper hissed from the living room, reeling from the onset of emotions. "She's happy. Happy, but ill content. You, on the other hand, are driving me up a damn tree with your worrying. Give it a rest, will you?"

Serving up numerous dishes, Edward placed the food in front of Bella before giving her a heart-warming smile.

"Go ahead and eat, Love. I'm going to talk to Jasper for a few minutes and discuss the best place for an outing later on, okay?"

Bella didn't even hear him. Between Alice talking a mile a minute about the best fabric to use for insulation in regards to design and the call of more warmth from the food in front of her, she didn't acknowledge any one.

"I'm going to let you eat, Sweetie," Alice chimed in a minute later. Bella was in a zone of her own, pushing the food around her plate before taking a bite and then repeating the process as if searching for something hidden. With an internal sigh, Alice went to the study to look up warmer winter fashion wear, wondering if next day delivery could be used this far off the beaten path.

"Jasper, don't tell me there isn't something wrong, Edward argued in the other room. "What aren't you feeling that the rest of us are?" Sitting next to his friend on a plush leather couch, Edward waited for an explanation.

"Edward, I already told you. Bella is happy. There's something else going on but I don't know what it is. She isn't ill, at least not physically, I don't feel anything like that and none of us can smell anything differently about her."

"It could be subtle, masked even! She's been wearing so many layers of clothing that maybe we're missing it." Staring off into the distance, Edward continued to mumble his thoughts. "I should probably call Carlisle. We could have him fly in, just to make sure. I'd feel better with a second opinion."

"And how do you think Bella would feel about that?" Jasper asked, shaking his head sadly, already knowing the answer. "She's going to be upset if she thinks you're keeping something from her or that you need to look out for her all of the time."

Edward gave Jasper a look of disdain. "Jasper, we're vampires. Carlisle could easily arrive at night, while she's asleep, make a diagnosis and be gone before she even knew he had been here."

"Maybe it's just you?" Jasper suggested, loath to do so.

Edward's head whipped around lightening fast, his anger being doubly fueled from not only the words, but jasper's thoughts as well. "What do you mean? Why would Bella be feeling whatever this is because of me?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's not just you, but all of us?" Raising his hands in surrender, he tried to calm his quietly growling brother. "Edward, I've never seen her stay this far away from you, say nothing of flinching when you attempted to give her affection. It could be possible that the instinct to fear us, as a race, has finally caught up to her, causing her body to react even if her mind doesn't want to."

The growling stopped instantly; Edward appreciating that there may be a simple solution after all.

"You think I should limit our contact with her? Take her away again to a different location where it's just the two of us?"

Eagerly, Edward began to plan where he could take the love of his life. Despite it being daylight, he knew enough back roads they could safely travel to enter Canada.

"I'm not sure that's even the right path to fixing whatever's wrong. Why don't you start small," Jasper suggested, eager to make amends. "Alice and I can leave for a hunting trip and you two can stay here. At night, give her some space and let her sleep upstairs, alone."

Edward shook his head at the obvious flaw. "But if it is too many vampires under one roof, I want to know for sure. Just having you and Alice leave would still allow the thought to settle that you two would be coming back, not necessarily settling Bella's condition. If she and I leave today, within as little as a week, I'd know."

"There are too many variables, Edward. What if it is vampires causing her distress? By you smuggling her someplace else to hole-up and shelter could frighten her even more. Don't just take off to someplace remote. If you're going to do this, I'd suggest one of the bigger cities either east or south of us."

"Bella is in no condition to be out in public, Jasper. Anyone would take one look at her and think she was either being held captive or critically ill. If I'm going to do this, I-"

A loud crash from the kitchen cut off whatever Edward felt he needed to do. At an inhuman speed, he ran to the kitchen, searching for whatever had happened, briefly hoping that Bella had just tripped, but wasn't seriously hurt.

"Bella? Bella, Love, can you hear me?" Edward cried out, bending down to pick up his girl from the floor. Her heart beat steadily with an odd hitch; one Edward had never heard in his entire lifetime.

Jasper approached as well, picking up the stool she had been occupying and returning it to its place as Alice returned in a flurry of concern.

"What happened, Edward?" The female vampire asked, her perky bouncing turning into a flutter of nervousness.

"I don't know, but I'm taking her upstairs," Edward stated in a voice that brooked no room for argument. "One of you, call Carlisle and have him on the next flight here. I don't care if he has to parachute out of a two-prop duster; he's needed now!"

There was no doubt in Edward's mind that Bella was unconscious. However, in the amount of time it took him to run upstairs with her, he almost felt exhausted.

Her body twisted and arched, irregular vibrations from her muscles similar to the oddness from her heart beat. Once he had let go of her on the bed, her body stilled, relaxing into the mattress as if once again in a deep sleep.

Edward took a step away, eyeing the girl with a painful curiosity. "Bella, can you hear me?" He tried again with the same results.

Her cheeks were pale. Nevertheless, the vampire worried that she may have overheated herself, or possibly had bruises he couldn't see with so much clothing on.

Between the resumed spasms, it took Edward a solid two minutes to remove most of her clothing, only leaving the thermal undergarments on. One at a time, he rolled the arms and leggings up, examining each limb for any signs of trauma, even rolling her top up to observe her abdomen and back when he turned her to the side.

Frustrated at being unable to determine what was wrong, he kneeled close to her side, biting at his closed fist. He could hear Alice's high-pitched twitter while she tried to explain to Esme what was going on and how fast they thought they could arrive. Jasper, too, was online, calling out different flight options.

The past couple of days Bella had become introverted. She no longer asked him to hold her while she slept, nor was he the sole object she sought out upon first arising. In less than a week, Edward suddenly felt like he was no longer welcomed in her life. The feeling burned worse than any venom ever had and he held no doubts that this wasn't her doing.

The wolf had somehow infected her.

"Edward?" A soft voice questioned him. Giddiness erupted as the vampire leaned over the bed, hoping Bella had awoken and was looking for him.

"I'm right here, Love," he cooed, reaching out to rub her cheek.

"Edward!" The sudden smack to his hand had him turning and snarling before even registering that the voice he was hearing wasn't Bella but Alice.

"Edward, don't touch her. Here, Carlisle wants to talk to you." Holding out one of the many family phones, Alice watched as Edward raged.

"What?" he snapped, forgetting that he had been the one to request the patriarch's presence.

"Son, what have you done?" Carlisle accused in vocal pain. "You took away something that is no longer yours. How could you be so careless?"

"Carlisle you weren't there; you have no idea as to what you are talking about!" He hissed, immediately on the defense.

"Edward, Alice explained all of it: How she can no longer see Bella; the picture one of the wolves showed you; Bella's deterioration. Is it not clear to you?"

Carlisle feared the worst. He knew of wolves and their imprints; the aggressive nature a wolf experienced when their soul mates were threatened, or worse, taken away. Regardless of the circumstances, the treaty had been violated even if it was impercipient.

"No, apparently it's not," Edward continued to yell. "What I saw was a mutant child holding Bella hostage. I didn't kidnap her, Carlisle. Bella pleaded for us to take her away. Whatever has happened to her, she doesn't want it!"

Carlisle's sigh was felt through the phone; an expression of love, defeat, defiance and hesitation. "What is it that you think I can do that you cannot?"

"I expect you to take your Hippocratic Oath seriously and give help where help is needed. Neither of us can say for sure that Bella's condition isn't from a physical ailment. I'd like you to fly out here and make sure I'm not missing anything."

"Give her some time, Edward. The girl has been unconscious for what? An hour at the most? Wait until tomorrow and if she has woken, call me again and I'll make a determination."

"Thank you, Carlisle," Edward gritted out, meaning anything but. "I'll phone you the same time tomorrow."

"Good luck, son," Carlisle added sincerely. After a moment's silence, he added, "I know she's important to you; she's important to all of us. Don't hesitate to call sooner if anything sudden takes place."

"Thank you, Carlisle. Now if you'll excuse me, I have things to attend to." Not waiting for a goodbye, Edward disconnected the call.

The next few days were a blur to the vampires. Unable to physically touch Bella without some type of negative response, there was little they could do.

Two days later, she had yet to move, or even waken. Edward, worried about dehydration, decided to insert an I.V. for fluids. Bella's strength was no match for a vampires but she struggled so much that Edward feared she would break a bone. Left with no other choice, Jasper found a human nurse to do as instructed.

Of questionable nature and already in trouble with the state board and the possible loss of her credentials, the nurse all too happily agreed to insert an I.V. in the unconscious woman, no questions asked.

Two men watched her as she easily slid the catheter and Heparin lock into Bella's unmoving arm. Once complete, she looked for the fluid bags to connect. They weren't necessary; a heparin lock could stay seated and only be used for single injections, but the nurse figured there was more to the scene than infrequent medicinal dosing.

With few words, Jasper escorted her back to a nearby city, depositing a substantial amount of cash into the startled nurses hands with the promise that should any one come around to ask questions, they would know who had spoken.

By day seven, more than one fourth of her soul's chords had shriveled. Bella's normal pale complexion was shadowed and withered; as if she was aging in a matter of days and not years such as her flesh indicated.

No one could see it, but the vampires knew that she had to be taken home regardless of anyone's wishes.

Edward seethed inwardly and raged outwardly, destroying rooms and nearby tree clusters in fits of rage. Either decision he made would likely cause Bella's death; and as Carlisle pointed out, if he were to turn Bella now, her mind could fully snap.

Was a mentally broken Bella better than a physically broken one? Edward didn't like the odds of either.


	5. Flood

_**Flood**_

* * *

><p>The Cullens had no sooner left the well known Fork's driveway with Isabella Swan when Sam lost his cool. Unable to control his beast, he phased, a shower of clothing littering the side yard to leave in its wake a large, majestic wolf.<p>

The leader ran; his pack-save one-hot at his heels as the wolves disappeared into the forest to find their comrade at fault.

Paul was momentarily, both figuratively and literally, alone. The car with his imprint had vanished quickly, leaving no trace of its previous presence other than the faint stench of death accompanied by vampires. His pack mates had fled, leaving a human Paul gloating and wolf Paul silently screaming in misery

"How could you, Paul?" Sam roared in full fury ten minutes later when Paul had finally caught up to the pack.

Beginning to feel doubt at his actions, Paul snapped back to himself. He hadn't done a damn thing to be blamed for!

"How could I what?" He lashed back, pissed at his Alpha's lack of honor. "How could I take control of my own fucking life? Oh, I'm sorry, Sir Alpha. Was I supposed to ask permission about that, too?"

With the rest of his pack standing behind him, each feeling the same as their Alpha, Sam's words felt like a tsunami to Paul.

"How could you stand there and do nothing?" Sam asked, not a waiver to be heard in the clear and concise tone. "How could you turn over your imprint to the monsters we have been built to kill?"

"It's not like you can get rid of an imprint, Sam." Shrugging with indifference, Paul added for good measure, "She'll be back."

"In what condition, though, Paul?" Sam's pacing began instantly, back and forth in a pattern of only a few feet. "You cannot be away from her for any length of time, no more than she can from you, unless she chooses a different path." Sam's voice turned horror-ridden. "And if she chooses that path while you two are bound, you won't survive."

Not for one minute did Paul doubt that Sam worried about a pack mate's death, even his. However, caring meant guilt and Paul wasn't one to allow guilt to fester and rule supreme.

"Just stop with the bullshit, Sam. Do you think I'm blind? A fool? You may have the rest of the pack and council convinced, but I know!"

"Know what?" Sam asked, truly puzzled by Paul's anger. If Paul knew something then so did the rest of the rest of the pack. He failed to realize that just because two people held the same knowledge, it did not mean that the knowledge was understood on the same level.

"The imprint…the calling…the fucking chords!" Once again screaming, Paul clutched at his chest, attempting to pull at something that could not be removed. Not in a way that anyone had ever shared.

"I don't…I don't know what you're talking about, Paul," Sam replied hesitantly, slowing his movements to watch his brother. Sam knew, he was just stalling.

"And yet you still talk, don't you Alpha?" Paul mocked bitterly, laughing in that cruel and sing-song tone as he dropped his hands. "The imprint is more than you think, Sam. If any of you had bothered to test its strength and limit, you'd know what I'm talking about."

"Nobody ever knows what you're talking about, Paul, because you don't explain. You just throw shit out there and become enraged when the rest can't follow or keep up."

"Do you remember biology class where that old fart, Mr. Whitehawk talked about cell division?"

Startled at the abrupt subject change, Sam attempted to make the connection before speaking. "Briefly, but, Paul, imprinting isn't like a physical merging."

"Just shut up and listen! When the cells divide, they form spindles to separate and pull away, at the end of which you're left with two new cells."

"Yes," Sam agreed, still not understanding. "Imprints don't break away from each other, though."

"I know that, Sam. What I'm saying is that if you reversed the process, took two cells or souls and tried to make them back into one, the process itself would be much like how an imprint works, agreed?"

"I don't know, Paul. I'm not a doctor and couldn't tell you what would happen. I doubt anything like that could happen and if it did, it wouldn't have any overall effect on us. I'm still not grasping what you're saying."

Roughly, Paul jerked his head to star down his Alpha. "I can't break the imprint on my own, Sam. Bella's chords have latched on to me without my consent and I intended for them to go away." His voice lowered as though talking to himself, "I need the imprint's help to do that and she's too soft hearted to go through with it."

Sam sighed heavily. "Paul, I know how the legends tell the story, but we both know an imprint is unbreakable; we've already established that. Certain parts of the overall process are left out delicately because of society's misconstrued values of understanding. When all is said and done, however, both a wolf and imprint feel like they've gone to-"

"Heaven!" Paul lashed out angrily, cutting of Sam's explanation. "Heaven fucking lies on the side of an accepted imprint, Sam, whether or not the two parties involved want it or not. There is no chemical substance abuse stronger than the endorphin-like rush from an accepted bonding. Bella has tasted that drug somewhere and she won't leave now, not without persuasion."

"Then why don't you want that? Jesus, Paul, you act as though this is torture. One of the best things to happen to you and you scoff and try to turn away."

"Are you that blind, Sam?" Paul asked, words burning as they left his mouth; a blasphemous edict of the worst kind. "Are you blind to the fact that you have been given a drug for which no rehabilitation exist? An imprint may feel good; it may feel better than any love, sex, money or importance could feel."

Regardless of the pity and shock of his mates, he continued, determined once and for all for them to understand that imprinting was subjugation of the soul.

"In the end though," Paul rasped out, his voice rough with agony, "no one asked me what I wanted. I'm just expected to turn a blind eye and give thanks for something that was never my decision to begin with. That is not life, Alpha. That is slavery."

"Now, just wait a damn minute!" Jacob yelled, standing up from his crouched position on the ground to approach the faulty wolf. "You're fucking crazy, Lahote; you know that? I'd give my right hand to belong to Bella. She's a thousand times better than anyone I've ever meet. Never once did she judge us for what we were even before knowing we could phase."

Jacob's feelings of being betrayed by Bella saying she would try to work things out with Paul were erased at the sentiment coming from him. Bodily, Jake shoved Paul, his own accusations ringing throughout the forest.

"Can you say the same of our people?" Shove. "The other Quileute's who whisper that Sam was a player?" Shove. "Or that you're a drug lord trying to make a good impression on the youth so you can get more recruits?" With the last shove, Paul roared out, shoving back more forcefully than Jacob had anticipated.

"You're just like our whiney, fucking Alpha, Black! Everyone this side of the Rockies knows that you'd take Bella as your own; damaged goods and all. You have no pride or honor. You'd lap her ass if she'd give you the time of day and it kills you, knowing that I'm right!"

Having finally knocked Jacob back with enough surprise that the young man collapsed on his knees, Paul loomed over him. "You can say all the shit you want, Black, but I got news for you. Bella Swan is not the peace keeper of this messed up world and she will bring us all to our knees in shame."

None of the wolves had ever seen a fury such as this. Paul's usual, sarcastic smirk had been replaced by a man who truly felt like he had lost the world he belonged to. His nostrils continued to flare, a wild uncomprehending glint in the slate colored eyes, he tilted his head back and screamed.

Save for Jacob, the other men shifted nervously, looking at their Alpha for direction. They were designed to protect people, themselves and their imprints being top priority. A fellow wolf was denying his imprint and the wolves inside were torn, not knowing how to respond.

Jacob watched Sam the closest. His Alpha was internally reckoning with some aspect that Jake had yet to figure out; brief flashes of painful acceptance carefully masked behind stoicism.

"You mean for her to kill herself, don't you?" Jacob gasped from his spot, his eyes boring into Sam with accusation at allowing this travesty.

"Paul," Sam intervened cautiously, ignoring Jacob's accusation, partially aware of what was at stake. "That isn't it, is it? You don't know the ramifications of an imprint dying before the bond can synchronize. Dear god, tell me you haven't sentenced not only yourself but someone else to a needless death?"

Embry was the first of the group to suddenly turn feral. His wolf couldn't handle the agonizing conversation and what it could mean for all of them as a pack. He ran, embarrassed by both his inability to listen to more and his inability to bring Paul to his knees in understanding.

An imprint was more sacred than anyone. Including a pack mate.

Having fallen silent, Paul breathed heavily, no longer cognizant of what emotion he should be feeling. In a manner of defense, He turned them all off.

"Even in I wanted to, I couldn't kill her. You should know that, Sam." Merciless eyes bored into Sam both men reliving the incident from over a year ago when Emily had been scarred.

"If I wanted to, I could accidently maim her.," Paul said, watching Sam further blanch. "I couldn't just come at her out of nowhere; it'd have to be by surprise."

Ignoring Sam for a moment, Paul turned his voided gaze towards Jacob. "I guess you're lucky after all, Black, knowing that I willingly refused to spend any time around her, in case of…accidents."

Paul's last word was coated in blandness as if he were discussing absolutely nothing of interest.

"You're such a fucking coward," Jake spat, his hostility renewed. "At least if you physically hurt her, she'd still be human. Instead, you send her off with those god damn leeches, knowing that they'll kill her and your hands will be free of blood."

Paul's face morphed into that of a feral creature. It wasn't the wolf coming forth, but that of a man who had left this side of reality.

"All of you are still so eager to fucking condemn me! I can't fucking hurt her. Not with my hands or body, but I sure as hell won't roll over and play the part of her fucking pet. It wasn't fucking me that sentenced her to any type of death. She went off on her volition with those parasites. She actually cried to be with them and yet all of you accuse me of sentencing her to that horrible death that she alone decided."

Gasping with emotional exhaustion, Paul left them with one last thought.

"I already feel hopeless about escaping this imprint unscathed and I'd bet on every one of your lives, so does she. Letting her go off with them was the nicest thing I could've done." Whirling around to throw his weight on to the ground, Paul was already fully phased before his hands and feet could touch the forest floor.

* * *

><p>"Pack," Sam ordered, his voice weighted. "Go home. I'll take patrol for now and wake up whoever's next on the rooster."<p>

One by one the men left, too numb to console, too shocked to show any more aggression and too weary to even want to.

Sam startled when another warm hand touched his shoulder. He knew who it was before the voice could identify the presence.

"Sam," Jacob began hesitantly. "I don't want to argue but I don't understand. Why do you let Paul walk all over this? We weren't designed to fight amongst ourselves or even an imprint, which at times seems more important than any blood sucker."

"Jacob, I know you're young, but you were meant to be the true Alpha. Can you honestly say that you don't understand why I've chosen how to handle Paul?"

Jacob's hand dropped restlessly to his side. He didn't like not knowing or understanding and Sam's reminder that he should, was not comforting.

"Yes, I really can. Paul has been nothing but insubordinate to you, us and Bella. Everyone would feel better if you just commanded him to behave."

"Like a dog?" Sam asked wryly before kneeling back down, indicating for Jacob to do the same. No doubt this too would be a lengthy conversation.

"Like a leader!" Jacob exclaimed, too shocked at Sam's choice of analogy to sit. "As acting Alpha it is your job to tell him how to behave; to call him out when he disregards orders and to reign him back in."

"Sit down," Sam pleaded, waiting until the younger wolf did before continuing. "If we were fighting, Jacob, I would. Even though the imprint is purely a wolf instinct, I still cannot tell him how to behave like that."

"Why, what's the difference? So far he's done nothing but cause dissention amongst us. How is it any different whether he does it to his imprint or fellow pack mate? Are you saying that if he went about attacking the other wolves, you'd stand by and let it happen?"

Plucking the grass and moss in agitation, Jacob struggled to grasp what the big secret was. Sam was a leader, the Alpha of the pack. As such, it was his responsibility to make corrections and if any one needed correcting it was Paul Lahote.

"You aren't looking beyond the here and now. If this was Paul's behavior towards another one of us, if he was brutally attacking and hurting a fellow pack mate, then yes, I'd make him stop."

"So because he isn't physically smacking Bella around, his treatment is okay?" Jacob threw the vegetation away from him, tiny pieces of debris littering the air.

"No, it's not okay, but I can't stop him. And I don't mean I can't physically stop him. As Alpha I could very easily command him to keep silent and not to glare every time he's around his imprint. But what would that solve/"

"It means that she might not have run off. Bella would still be protected here, close to home, and not off, god knows where, being hurt by the vampires."

"Do you really think she's being hurt, Jacob? Can you sit there and easily believe that the Cullens came all of this way to harm her?"

"Yes!" was his vehement reply. The Cullens were known enemies and just as it was in a wolf's nature to protect, it was in a leech's nature to hurt and destroy.

"No, you can't. You're lying to yourself to feel better. I don't like the fact that she left but deep down I know that whatever she chooses, the Cullens will help her as best as they can."

"You turning leech loving now? What the fuck, Sam."

"I'm saying that whatever happens was and always will be out of our control. I can't force Paul to hide his true nature away from Bella; that's neither fair nor productive. The spirits have given Paul his soul mate and in return Bella hers as well. Despite knowing to the bottom of his core that Isabella Swan is the one human he is meant to be with, I cannot force love. That is something they will have to figure out on their own."

Jacob sat heavily on the ground, removing the weight from his legs; his mind reeling again. Was it possible? Did finding your soul mate mean that love still had to be built? What was the point if love wasn't instantaneous?

"The point," Sam answered, not realizing that Jacob hadn't known he had spoken out loud. "Is that the Spirits have gifted us with knowing who is the one who deserves our utter devotion. Soul mates are the gift but love is still an emotion that can't be magically imposed."

* * *

><p>Neither Sam nor the rest of the pack sought out Paul for the next few days. His presence was felt when they phased, a silent and looming shadow that no one wanted to communicate with. He spent much of the time prowling through the massive Olympian forests, living as a creature to be feared by most but unable to stay human and address those types of emotions despite his wolf self holding an upper hand in regards to imprinting.<p>

The first sign of pain began somewhere around thirty hours after Bella had left. Stalking a small herd of deer, the large grey wolf stilled, temporarily unaware as to what was going on. He looked down at his massive fur covered chest, wondering if perhaps he had somehow pierced his flesh on a branch or limb.

The coat rippled smoothly, not a patch of fur out of place. There was no scent of blood and Paul frowned as the pain increased. He tried to staunch the whimper of pain, succeeding only partially as the deer twitched suddenly to search out a possible threat.

When the second wave of pain echoed through his frame, Paul thumped his tail in agitation refusing to cry out, yet still managing to scatter the herd he had scoped. The burn rushing through his entire system wasn't normal. He could feel each line the agony etched as though every capillary was being flushed with battery acid, not dissolving but shriveling one sliver at a time.

The wolf couldn't comprehend time, not like a human. Eventually Paul rose, the burning settling down into something his form could tolerate. It was still there but wasn't incapacitating. The wolf knew what was occurring, so did the human. However, neither could gain the upper hand of control, leaving the wolf to continue on in search of distractions.

It was past twilight of the sixth day, nearly the seventh since Bella had been gone, when a wolf dissolved on the forest floor, leaving a naked man in its wake.

* * *

><p>"Anything?" Embry questioned his Alpha, standing nervously by his side.<p>

Embry wasn't a huge fan of Paul's. He cursed the man for making him flee in distress when the emotions had gotten out of hand at the last pack meeting. However, they still shared a connection and when one went missing for a prolonged amount of time, sadness and concern took over.

Casting a backwards glance from the slowly rising sun, Sam just shook his head once before resuming his stare into the distance, the Olympian range a majestic sight to lose one's thoughts in. Paul was capable of taking care of himself; a fact he had proven beyond a shadow of a doubt. With his imprint, though, Sam worried the man would choose pride over priority.

The imprint chording had begun within seconds of that first glance in the meadow, like vines growing upon a wall. The chords would continue to grow, stretching, flourishing and increasing, but without either the imprint or wolf taking care of the strays that needed tending or carefully snipping, the chords would crumble both souls.

"He's still in the forest somewhere, not close, but nearby. Quil volunteered to do a northeastern sweep, Jacob a southeastern one. If neither reports anything within a few hours, we'll go straight in and locate him," Sam explained.

"We should get some sleep," Embry suggested. "I'm going to head back to my house. Have someone howl if you need me sooner, otherwise I'll come back here around noon to search with you."

Sam nodded his assent. "Go ahead. I'll see you shortly."

Once Embry had disappeared back the way he had come, Sam collapsed to the ground, resting heavily on top of the moist earth, praying to the spirits that all would work out.

* * *

><p>They found him early in the evening, motionless and barely breathing. It took Sam, Jared and Embry to haul Paul's body back to his house. He was conscious but not much else.<p>

Sam was the first to release his grip on Paul, dropping him on a dingy piece of furniture Paul called a couch. The house was cold and smelled of despair; the stale air encompassing the wolves like a haze of smoke, choking and uncomfortable.

Jacob appeared pushing his father with Old Quil a few steps behind as well. Even though the older generation had never phased, they knew the ways of their people especially in relevance to the way of a warrior's soul.

"Grandson," the Elder Quil requested. "Please light a fire in the fireplace. Harry will be here soon with the rest of the supplies we need."

As the young wolf complied, Billy unrolled a piece of ceremonial leather, revealing a pipe and pouch of herbs. Old Quil sat the bag he had been carrying on a nearby table, pulling from it clay pots and more herbs which he placed in various places around the room, adding water to some and leaving others as is.

When Harry arrived, it was then that the wolves noticed the Elders were dressed in clothing of the old ways. Sam was the first to bow his show of respect to them before leaving the house to wait outside. Quick studies, the rest of the pack followed suit, leaving only the Elders and Paul inside.

At one point, the wolves could hear Paul growl, the sound unexpected, but not worrisome. He wasn't strong enough to move much less phase and the Elders' pheromones remained calm and steadfast even when the guttural command of "Get the fuck out and leave me alone," rasped from Paul's lips.

Before the moon could reach its zenith, two things occurred. A cell phone rang and the Elders exited the house. Leaving the ringing phone for someone else to handle, Sam hurried over to Quil Sr. hoping for news that would help them help their pack mate.

"Safe return, Elder," Sam greeted the senior member.

"You do our tribe honor, Sam Uley, remembering the ways of what we are," Quil Sr. praised, patting the younger, towering man on the cheek in a familial way.

"Thank you, Elder. Please, tell us, is there still a chance?" The sound of Billy tapping the pipe against his hand distracted Sam. He watched as the other Elder emptied the pipe over the side of the porch before producing its leather home and rewrapping the object.

"There is always a chance, son," Quil Sr. responded, bringing Sam back to the conversation. "As to the odds, however, it does not bode well. The spirits are angry at his inner warrior. They will not aid him, or us, in resetting this path he has chosen though they will not show displeasure if we help him.

"What do you suggest?"

"The young one refuses to help himself and unless we act in his stead, he will be lost." Turning to face Sam directly, the Elder's eyes almost glowed in the eerie lunar light, years of wisdom and internal power reflecting outward. "You must bring his mate back, Sam. Even if she be mortally wounded, or nor longer within the realms of living, her soul needs to be near his."

"What are you talking about?" Jacob cut in harshly, not receptive to the idea that Bella may no longer be human. "If she's…if she's no longer alive, what chance does Paul have of surviving?"

"Jacob!" Billy's voice shot through the night. "You will show respect when addressing an Elder."

"Rest easy, brother," Quil Sr. advised Billy, unperturbed at the future Chief's brashness. "Jacob, her soul shall remain with her as long as she breathes. If, however, she no longer requires air to survive, her soul will be caught between worlds. Since she has been blessed with a soul mate, he will carry the pieces once the connection is finished. If consummation had occurred, the situation would be less severe as the soul would know where to reside once cast out. Since it obviously has not, physical contact is needed to finish the journey."

"Elder," Sam cut in hesitantly, unsure of how to proceed with the impossible task set before them. "She left of her own free will. We cannot force her to return."

All the Elders chuckled self indulgently, startling the wolves who didn't find the situation funny at all.

"You misunderstand," Billy volunteered. "It is no longer a matter of choice. An imprinted soul cannot flee like a non-printed soul can. If she-" Billy's explanation was cut off as Jared made an audible snapping sound, closing the phone he had been listening to.

"That was a leech. Something has happened to Bella and they say they cannot help her. They've hired a private jet and just landed at a nearby airfield. We are to meet them at the border in thirty minutes."

"Sam," Quil Sr. pleaded with urgency. "Have Jacob take Billy home then take him and…" searching the other wolves, his eyes rested upon the next senior wolf, "take Jacob and Jared with you to the meeting. Leave Embry or Quil here and have another stay close to the tribe. We can guess as to what might happen but none of us knows for certain. The last thing we desire is to have Cold Ones racing through our lands if this meeting is to go badly."

* * *

><p>Edward's fury continued, nothing in his path was granted salvage save for his sweet Bella. Jasper, fearing for his brother's sanity, once again called Carlisle. Whispering in a hurried frenzy, he explained that Edward was not handling the situation at all and despite their best efforts, Bella did not appear to be improving. In fact, Jasper easily believed that she was close to dying.<p>

Carlisle mourned for what he had to do. Edward was his son and it pained him to take away the one thing the young man cherished the most. Like Edward's earlier words, however, Carlisle did hold true to the Hippocratic Oath. He was in a position to do all that he could for the dying girl, even if the procedure required invoked more of a supernatural path than a conventional one. He was on the next flight to Michigan to aid his family.

Alice stayed to watch Edward destroy everything his hands touched, barely able to shove him back outside when he had left Bella's side for a few minutes. Jasper used the reprieve to do as Carlisle had suggested and found a private company that would fly them all back to Washington later on, early in the evening and that was capable of supporting a stretcher for an ill human.

While not pacified, Edward finally stopped his outward tantrum, sitting mulishly beside his family and cringing every time he stared at Bella. Tension began to mount again when he heard Carlisle talking to some dog on the phone. Out of every solution, this one had to be the worst.

* * *

><p>Three towering Natives stood in the foliage surrounding the treaty line. Few vehicles would pass this way but if they did, no one would be able to see them; except for the dark luxury car that slowed down and pulled off to the side, containing four vampires.<p>

"Samuel?" Carlisle asked, stepping out the vehicle slowly least he startle the group.

The tallest of the trio stepped forward, not speaking, but nodding his assent for indemnification.

Jasper and Alice also stepped out of the car, farthest away from the wolves, watching and waiting. An attack was imminent, but as to who would start it—the wolves or Edward, who had yet to exit the car –the pair didn't know. Carlisle had simply said to stay out of the way and not react to any words; he would do all of the talking.

"I thought you might have brought a vehicle to help transport Bella," Carlisle continued looking around for an object he knew wasn't there. "She's very ill."

Reaching behind him, Carlisle opened the rear door, cautiously turning to peer inside when all three of the wolves stiffened and tensed further, their angry looks focused on the back seat.

Like a caged beast, Edward was snarling and flashing teeth soundlessly. The wolf stench was overpowering, cloying his senses from the sweet smell of Bella. That same wolf scent however also caused Bella to twitch for the first time in days.

"Edward, get out of the car and go join Jasper and Alice," Carlisle hissed in embarrassment. "We've been through this already and know it is what needs to be done. If you continue to act this way, more than Bella's life will be at stake. Do you want that?"

"Don't talk to me about Bella's life, Carlisle!" Edward snapped back. "It's their fault she's like this to begin with. Do you think I can just easily step aside while a dog tries to help her?"

Reaching out, Carlisle grabbed Edward's shoulder, ready to haul him bodily from the car if need be. "I don't care what you think at this point, Edward. It's my duty to see that we take all steps necessary to correct a wrong."

Seething, Edward read Carlisle's inner thoughts. Despite having spent many decades together, his father figure was willing to put all aside and stand with the wolves regarding Bella's present well-being.

It wasn't long before the sullen red-head removed himself from the car, stalking over to join his brother and sister away from the wolves. Once the pathway was cleared, Carlisle returned his attention to Sam.

"She hasn't been conscious for a few days now and seems to react violently when any of us attempt to tend her. I think it might be best if you removed her from the vehicle, or if you want, we can wait here while you take her back to wherever in the car. It might be easier on her."

Brushing aside Jared's restraining hand, Jacob stepped forth, eager to save his best friend only to halt again three feet from his objective.

"I smell blood," he snarled, swinging around to glare accusingly at Carlisle.

"She hasn't been hurt. We were forced to insert a line so she could receive fluids. What you're smelling is probably just residual back feed." The eldest vampire explained.

"No, dog, we did no such thing!" Edward yelled out, an icy stare directed at Jared. He had read the wolf's accusing thoughts; the idea that the I.V. was some type of feeding device not for Bella, but for him and his siblings.

"Easy, Edward," Carlisle shushed. It didn't matter what anyone thought had happened, the important thing was that the wolves took Bella back to wherever to make her healthy, not knowing if the wolf trying to remove her from the car was her soul mate or not.

Jacob also listened as Sam directed him to hurry so that they could get back to Paul's house. Quil was howling in the distance, the compelling wails informing him something was going on that needed help, but not from any type of attack.

Within in seconds, they held the human they had come for; racing back to Paul's and hoping that her small twitches were a sign of improvement.

* * *

><p>To say that the next few days were awkward, uncomfortable and downright painful would have been an understatement. When the wolves entered Paul's house with Bella, they took her to his bedroom, unsure as to what would need to be done to help either the still unconscious girl or the barely conscious wolf spewing obscenities and illogical thoughts from the couch.<p>

The next morning, when three bleary eyed wolves woke up to reassess the situation, they found that the Spirits had stepped in. Paul, whether by choice or command, had crawled from his spot on the couch back to his room where he was curled on his side, cocooning a still unconscious Bella.

Life gradually went back to normal for the shape shifters of La Push. When Bella finally woke up on the third day of her return, Paul came back to his senses as well. It was once again Sam who stepped in, suggesting to Bella that she try to visit as frequently as every other day. She didn't have to interact directly with Paul but they needed to spend at least half an hour within each other's presence to satisfy the chord structure.

On the fourth morning, Bella finally returned home to Forks to meet her surprised-turned-enraged father. There had been no time for Bella to concoct a plausible tale for him; in the past one of the Cullen's had always supplied Bella enough half-truths to feed him and they were no longer here. After nearly two hours of a one-sided yelling match—Charlie yelling and Bella crying pitifully in a chair –he had slammed his way out of the house.

When Jacob called to inquire as to why Bella hadn't come to visit like she promised Sam, the sordid details were laid bare. He was still considered a trusted ally by Charlie though and grudgingly the police chief allowed for Bella to visit the Reservation, provided Jacob picked her up and dropped her back off.

On one of the days Bella was visiting Jake, Paul came over to hover across from her in the garage. He stared and she didn't greet him, nor even acknowledge him. Jacob only paused working on his car long enough to determine that this would be a silent visit between the two.

"So, Bells, any plans for your graduation party? I hear it's supposed to be one of the brightest nights in a teenager's life," Jake joked giving her a mischievous wink.

Bella shifted uncomfortably on her milk-carton perch. "Well, Mrs. Newton volunteered their house for Mike to throw a party. She said she trusted him enough not to demolish it and if it was, she knew all of our folks anyways."

"Oh, so an un-chaperoned party, huh?" Jacob asked suggestively, looking up from the engine he was hunched over. "Need an escort? I think I can find a few hunky men to show up at your beck and call."

Flexing his muscles like a body-builder, he grinned when Bella released a small laugh.

"While I'm sure someone will become creative enough to pour beer into pet bowls and hold a drinking contest, I don't think your presence will be necessary."

Laughing good naturedly at her joke, Jake mad no further comment, aware of the slight scowl on Paul's face.

"Newton?" Paul finally questioned in the silence that had followed. "Is that the troll you work with at the camping store?" He asked before he could stop himself.

"He is not a troll! Mike's a good guy and good friend to have," Bella argued, peeved that Paul would add any input into a subject that was none of his business.

"Yeah, and his best friend is that guy Crowley, right? I saw him a few weeks ago with some dope dealers down in Forks."

"Are you suddenly concerned about my well-being?"Bella asked quietly, not surprised in the least at the snort of indignation that came from Paul.

"Hell no! But eventually you'll realize that we're stuck together and while I may have had a reputation, I sure as hell don't want it to be known that I straightened up only to attach myself to drugged-out slut."

The loud clank of tool dropping to the floor tore Bella's glare away from her tormentor. Paul however never even flinched, waiting for the righteous to speak.

"Fuck off, Paul," Jake threatened.

"Gladly, Black. You gonna convince the squab here to strip for me so I can? You are, of course, welcome to watch. You'd see it eventually, might as well be in the flesh as opposed to in the mind. You know how creative I can be with the fantasies."

Confused that the man who so obviously hated her might also dream about her, she spoke without censor. "You think of me?"

Paul turned his cold eyes to his imprint. "No, I fantasize about woman with long legs, deep tans and hair black as sin." His eyes quickly swept her frame before adding, "All of which, you lack."

The look of hurt flashed across Bella's face and Paul continued to inflict the pain, his voice taking on a pseudo-jovial tone.

"But, Jakey here knows this and it drives him a bit crazy. If I were to change the image of my fantasy girl to one of you, do you think Jakey would like it more or worse? If you're worried though, you can just let me fuck you right here and now as I like, all the while begging for it. Then Jakey would know what he sees in my head is reality and not fiction."

"Get the fuck out of here, Paul," Jacob thundered, his steps towards the other wolf as challenging as his demeanor.

Paul laughed at Jake's show of protection towards an imprint that wasn't his. The young pup would never realize that despite all the caring he tried to show Bella, it would in no way compensate for the love women needed; particularly his emotional squab.

"My time requirements for the day have been met, anyways," Paul replied carelessly before leaving to return home, not even bothering to spare Bella another glance.

"Bells…" Jacob began nervously after emotions seemed to settle a bit. "Don't listen to him. He's-"

"-Just an ass?" Bella supplied callously. "Don't worry about it, Jake. I should be used to it by now."

Willing herself not to cry, she looked into the concerned face of her best friend. "It's okay, Jake, really. Can you take me home, now? I'm kind of tired."

As a dejected looking Bella, walked up the stairs of her porch to go inside, Jake finally muttered the pain he was feeling on her behalf. "No, Bella, it really isn't okay."

* * *

><p>"Bella?" Charlie questioned his daughter a week before graduation. "I hear the Newtons are letting their boy throw a graduation party. You going?"<p>

Dropping the book she was currently reading—How to find your inner Zen –Bella tried not to look guilty at her dad's hopeful expression.

"I…uhh…I hadn't been planning on it, no. I figured after we had dinner, you and I could watch a movie or something."

Charlie's look of perplexity eased into one of understanding.

"Bella, I know I said you were grounded until college but you've been really good at staying in, taking care of your homework and chores, the housework… You're free to have one night to yourself."

'Oh," Bella answered in detached surprise. She hadn't realized that Charlie thought she thought she was still being punished.

There hadn't been anything she had wanted to do or places she desired to visit, and other than her necessitated trips to La Push, she had been fine staying home.

"Well, I'm not really into parties, Dad. Maybe I'll just go out to the Reservation and visit Jacob."

"Honey, Jake's gonna be there all summer. Why don't you go out to Newton's house and say good-bye to the kids you went to school with." There was a look of expectation on Charlie's face that said this wasn't a request.

"Besides," he continued, feeling the need to further elaborate, "It's not healthy to spend so much time with Jake. I know he's your best friend—maybe something even more than friends –but you need to have a life that's not solely based on one person. It's not healthy."

Once again, the cruel irony hit Bella like a derailed train. Of course it wasn't healthy! But in her case and in the case of one insensitive werewolf, they truly would survive if everyone else in the world ceased to exist. Mentally and physically one would die without the other; whereas emotionally, they slowly destroyed each other. There was no way around it and there was no way Bella could explain it to Charlie.

"Okay, Dad, I'll go," Bella finally agreed, slowly nodding her head. "What time should I be back?"

"I'm not giving you a curfew on your graduation night, Bells. As much as I'd like to say 'Don't do anything stupid', I've been a cop long enough to know that there's nothing I can do to prevent it. Just be safe and don't hesitate to call me if you need anything. I won't judge; I'll be happier knowing you're safe rather than sorry for some stupid irreversible mistake."

"Okay, Dad, I will," Bella agreed, delighted at the look of happiness Charlie gave her before turning on the TV.

Resolve firmly in place, Bella knew she'd go, make an appearance for no longer than an hour at the most, then return home in one piece.

* * *

><p>Bella hated crowds. She didn't know these people that loitered in masses throughout Mike Newton's house despite having spent the past two years in school with them. The music was loud, people were smoking—what, Bella didn't know – and the bowl that was supposed to have punch was obviously spiked, if the numerous empty alcoholic bottles lying nearby were any indication. Bella almost wished she had taken Jacob up on his offer to accompany her.<p>

"Hey, Bella, you want a drink?" Conner, a kid from her English class last year, called out to the young woman trying to disappear in a corner.

It would've been easy for Bella to pretend like she hadn't heard him due to the noise. Easy, but rude and Bella was tired of the rudeness in her life. Smiling softly, she made her way to where Conner was standing on the threshold between the kitchen and living room.

"A water would be nice, if Mike has any," she volunteered quietly, Conner having to lean over to hear her as Jessica ran past them laughing loudly as a partially drunk Mike gave chase.

"You can't have water at a party, Bella. Here, follow me." Grabbing her hand, he led her into the kitchen where a large blender sat on the counter, cold condensation frosting the sides of some type of purple slushy mixture.

Grabbing a bright blue disposable cup, he poured some of the concoction into it, smiling hugely as he handed the glass back to her.

"That is a house special. Drink up!"

"What's in it?" Bella asked, gingerly sniffing the drink. Whatever was in it smelled fruity and refreshing; unlike the punch bowl which smelled like it could fuel a fighter jet.

"I don't know but it tastes really good. Some seniors from last year crashed the party and brought some stuff with them to make it. Try it, it's really good," Conner encouraged, taking a large swallow of his own drink.

Thanking him softly, Bella was able to slip away again when another group of people came in to ask about a funnel contest, the pitch of voices gaining in volume as they cheered and took off for the back porch.

Somehow Bella managed to finish her drink, the warmth stealthily creeping up on her. With the aid of a self-appointed bartender, Bella had her glass filled twice more before she stumbled out to the front porch in search of cooler air.

It was quiet out here, the music and voices still rattling the windows slightly but most of the part was congregated out in the back yard where the Newton's had a full deck and seasonal swimming pool. Bella's thoughts were unfocused and hazed as she listened to the numerous splashes, shrieks of surprise and happiness and encouraging cheers of a group of guys yelling 'Chug, chug, chug'.

"Hello, little squab," a husky voice whispered in her ear from behind the chair swing she currently occupied.

Reflexes sluggish and muddled, Bella turned slowly, not knowing if the voice was real, but recognizing the warmth of breath on her neck and the tone.

"Paul?" She questioned placidly.

"Who else?" He answered, slipping to sit next to her.

"What are you doing here?"

His normal mocking laugh was replaced by a quieter, more intimate and indulging pitch. "I was out when suddenly my head began to feel sluggish and my body more relaxed. I figured it was somehow related to you and came to investigate."

Leaning over speak softly into her neck, his tongue darted out to lick the exposed flesh. "Surprise," he whispered charismatically.

Bella was too relaxed to react, or stiffen uneasily, the warmth radiating from Paul's larger body a sudden comfort. She felt herself lean into him, their shoulders pressed together as Bella scooted closer to him.

The wolf in Paul was deliriously happy to be sitting next to his peaceful imprint. He knew she was drunk; the alcohol a slight sting to his own numbed senses. When Paul had figured out that Bella was drinking, he too had nicked some moonshine from the back shed of Harry Clearwater. The liquor was potent and took longer absorb in a wolf's system than normal proof did. Now, both him and his imprint were happily drunk and whatever problems or concerns they might have had were forgotten.

It was hard to determine what started the chain events. Bella's hand had been making lazy circles on his abdomen and then their lips were locked together, Paul's dominance blooming full force as he plundered her mouth.

Bella was quickly aroused his tongue and lips began to suckle and tease her own. She didn't know when Paul had picked her up to straddle his lap, his lips sucking firmly below her ear, but when her hips pushed into his solid form and he responded in kind, she moaned in pleasure.

"We're going somewhere else to finish this!" Paul stated, standing up on shaky legs and walking away from the house. No one noticed as the two disappeared into the trees.

Half a mile from the house, and Paul knew that if he didn't sit his imprint down, he would probably end up fucking her while still walking blindly in the forest. Nothing seemed to matter as he unceremoniously dumped her to the ground then dropped on top of her, relishing in the feel of tiny teeth mimicking his own movements as they nipped and pulled his neck.

Bella's shirt and bra had become a thing a thing of the past; Paul's cruel treatment of her breasts as he sucked harshly at the nipples eliciting a feeling of euphoria to her partially numbed nerves. Bella couldn't find purchases on his toned body. Leaning up, she attached her lips to his shoulder, trying to bite down in pleasure as he continued the erotic assault.

"Oh, god," she cried out as he pushed her back, one hand thrusting down her pants to tease her clit above her damp panties.

"Do you like that, squab?" he teased, applying more pressure as her hips thrust upwards in acceptance.

Bella was beyond words, her body doing most of the begging amongst the numerous incoherent sounds that spilled from her mouth. When Paul found her lips again with his own, she bite down in pleasure, his fingers still rubbing on top of clothing.

"You have a hungry little mouth, don't you squab?" He questioned between kisses, lust fueling his every word and movement. He was rock hard from her begging and while it pleased him to the core, he wanted to come more than watching her do so at the moment.

Moving back to her ear, he traced the sensitive flesh with his tongue, his hand still buried in her pants lightly teasing her hot little cunt.

"You want more, don't you? Tell me you want it or I stop," he threatened, his fingers ceasing movement.

"Y…yes. More…ple-please," Bella stuttered, trying to reclaim the friction she desired.

Unbuttoning his own shorts, Paul wiggled slightly, growling when Bella moaned at the pleasurable contact his temporary thrusting had caused. When his dick was free of its confines and Bella's own jeans were pulled down to her knees, he leaned his upper torso up, hovering above Bella and using his hips to press down once more against her still covered pussy.

"I want more, too, little squab." In a slow parody of sex he let his cock move up and down her slit, watching as she continued her wanton movements.

Bella needed more and when she brought her hands up to press Paul back into her, he grabbed her wrists, holding them captive above her head while he continued to administer erotic torture.

"I can feel you, little squab. Your sweet clit is swollen with need and I can give you the release. I can pull down your panties and lick that sweet cunt until you scream your pleasure and come all over my face."

Bella shuddered in desirous need and Paul went in for the kill. Leaning down, he trailed his tongue lightly over one her tightened nipples.

"Can you feel that, little squab? My tongue licking your need slit. I'll spread your pussy lips wide and lock my lips on hot clit, sucking it until you beg for me stop."

Bella was too far gone; she couldn't have said if she wanted to. Every dirty word and act Paul described caused her body to thrum in anticipation.

"You want my tongue buried deep in your pussy, licking that naughty place while you orgasm, over and over again; filling your pretty pussy with something hot. Is that what you want? Because, little squab, say the word and I will give you all of that and then some," Paul promised.

"Yes, Paul, please, yes, give me it," Bella slurred, whether from the want or alcohol she didn't know nor care.

"And would you give me something first," He asked seductively, his lips feathering across her collar bone in a slow ascent to her mouth. "Anything?" he repeated, running his tongue over her lips before pushing slowly inside of her mouth and pulling back out.

Bella could no longer talk, her desire almost to the point of crying. She whimpered in needful desperation, willing to do whatever the man asked of her in return to be pleasured. She didn't notice when Paul flipped them over, her body now resting on top of his. Paul's next words were something she had never expected to hear, but was more than willing to do.

"I want the same type of pleasure, little squab. I'll happily bury my face between your legs if you'll take your soft lips and suck my cock." Paul slid her downwards until her chin was just above his swollen dick, waiting to see just how horny she was.

Bella felt him twitch, his heated flesh bumping against her neck. With only an inner instinct guiding her, she bent her head to suck him, nearly finding herself unseated when his hips bucked at the contact.

"Unngh, fuck yeah!" Paul snarled in appreciation. It had been months since anyone had been near his dick and he was more than ready to come; probably multiple times if given the chance.

Hi didn't care that she was unskilled, or that they were out in the middle of nowhere. The only thing that mattered was the moist mouth trying to wrap around and suck his still swelling dick. Using his palms to help relax her jaw, his fingers gripped her head to keep a steady movement, each downward thrust pushing him further in. Less than five minutes and he came, yelling out his pleasure as he kept her head in position, unmindful nor caring that Bella was only partially swallowing, the rest of his spunk drizzling out of her mouth.

"Little squab, we are definitely going to have to do that again," Paul informed a dazed Bella. Her eyes still unfocused, Paul flipped her back over to live up to his end of the bargain.

Bella had no time to reflect that she had not only just given her first blow job but that she had swallowed. Still licking her lips of excess moisture and trying not to dwell on any taste, she gasped in surprise when Paul's tongue started to lash at her dewed pussy lips.

Paul did exactly as promised, his lips and tongue devouring every inch of her sex in delicious tandem.

"This is what you wanted, isn't it, little squab?" Paul teased, slowing his tongue to peer up at Bella. Her legs were still caught in her jeans, preventing her from wrapping them around his head, but she still arched her body, making quiet yipping sounds to gain attention.

"You're so beautiful when you beg like this," he continued, placing small kisses against her swollen cunt, delighting in the sounds he could force from her as he teased her hidden pleasure spot with his fingers. Slowly he pushed her heavy lips aside, displaying an equally swollen clit.

Moist breath blew over the area, before Paul allowed his lips to brush over it, sometimes nipping and sometimes licking, always softly to increase the torment. His dick began to harden again as he listened to her. He knew- in this moment -that he could bury his cock inside her cunt and she'd beg him to fuck her until she came in waves all over him.

It was a thought he planned to see fulfilled in the nearby future, but not tonight.

"You're lucky, little squab, because I'm going to suck your sweet cunt until I can hear scream." With those words, his lips latched on, his tongue running a continuous circle over the tip of clit while she bucked for more.

Bella felt her muscles tightening in anticipation of climax, crying out in exquisite pleasure when she finally tipped; Paul's thick tongue buried deep inside with his thumb and forefinger pinching and tugging mercilessly at her clit. The world continued to reverberate around her, Paul's tongue laving in and out of her pussy while her muscles wildly alternated in contraction and relaxation. Bella felt her eyelids flutter closed despite struggling to retain the fast receding feeling of sexual bliss.

When all tension had dissipated from her, Paul pulled back, knowing she was sated and hoping she'd be willing to suck him off again, his own cock in sexual agony once more from her earlier pleading. He positioned himself on top of her wet slit, rubbing suggestively then looking up to gage her response.

She was out cold.

Surprised but not angry, he continued to rub himself against her, the oily moisture from her orgasm exciting him further. Using one hand to support himself and the other to press down on his dick, he increased his thrusting recalling the way her voice had sounded while pleading for him to give her more when he bit her nipples; how she had thrust against his mouth when her climax mounted; and when her body stiffened, his fingers gripped her hips and she came while he tongue fucked her.

For the second time in less than half an hour, Paul came. With his cock still in the valley of her lips, he felt a tightening and explosion, most of thick white fluid spluttering across Bella's stomach with a few strands coating her chest. Crawling up her side, he let the last few drops of sperm still clinging to the head of his deflating dick, rub against her lips.

Finally exhausted, Paul allowed himself to collapse beside her, panting and occasionally looking at her. He didn't feel bad for the mess she now sported on her body; she was his and nothing pleased the wolf more than marking their mates.

Lying on the hard forest floor in the dark, Paul thought about what had just occurred. His buzz had slipped away and now that he was clear headed once more, he started to plot. Bella may have engaged in sex with him, but it didn't really change how he felt about her overall. If it wasn't for the imprint, any piece of ass could have sucked him off; there was nothing special about an imprint doing it other than it was something the wolf within approved of.

He also wasn't worried about being accused of taking advantage of her. Both of them had been drunk- her probably more so than him –but she had asked for it more than once and when all was said and done, she was none the different for it.

Deciding there wasn't much he could do about any of it right now, he rolled over to nudge at Bella. She was probably too drunk to get home on her own and he'd have to take her there.

"Come on, squab. Time to get up and go home," Paul said, pushing at her bared shoulder.

Inhaling deeply, Bella didn't otherwise speak, rolling over to her side in sleep and allowing Paul to see that her back was scratched and bleeding in places from lying on the pines.

"Shit," Paul cursed, sitting up fully to pull on his own shorts. With a zip and a snap of the button, he rolled to his knees, in search of Bella's missing top and bra.

The mess he had left her with was dried and Paul smirked as he sat her up to pull her shirt back on, over the mess. He didn't bother with the bra, shoving it in his back pocket before grabbing the loops of jeans and tugging them up, forcing both the panties and jeans to once again cover her.

With another sigh, he stood up, preparing to haul Bella over his shoulder and take her back home. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled, seconds before an earth-shattering howl filled the night.

Again and again the howl sounded, swiftly joined by another. It was a call of panic, requesting the wolves to immediately shift.


	6. Drought

The howling grew in strength, Paul cussing right and left as he dropped his shorts in preparation to phase. He eyed his imprint carefully, thinking back to what he had said to Sam a few months back about not being able to kill his imprint, but maiming her and possibly killing her in the process.

Try as he might, his wolf would not let him phase that close to Bella's form. Once he was nearly twenty feet away, the shifting began until he was standing on point in wolf form to hear and see what had his brothers in such an uproar.

"Keep howling until his ass phases. He sure as fuck didn't say he was leaving the Rez and at a time like this…," Sam's voice trailed off as the pack felt Paul enter the stream of collective thoughts.

"Paul! Where have you been? I don't care what the hell you've been doing, but you need to get back her now—"

Once again Sam stopped feeding his own thoughts into the pack mind as his previously spoken questions towards Paul and his whereabouts were answered by the activities of the past hour or so: Bella's behavior as Paul ravished her mouth; the feel of hands fumbling over Paul's chest, shoulders and in his hair; the overly harsh things he had said and how Bella had responded.

The worst part was Paul's internal conclusion to the time he had spent with Bella. He wasn't ashamed, nor did he feel the slightest bit of guilt, and the tiny piece of knowledge that he shouldn't reverberated through the wolves minds; their own understanding of the behavior equally concluding as his own.

"No!" Jacob cried out in anguish, his massive haunches falling to be able support the body they were attached to.

"Oh yes, Jakey. Read those thoughts and weep. It wasn't like you had a chance in Hell of doing anything about the imprint to begin with, but that last thought should live with you to the grave."

The other wolves began to project their own thoughts as well; the ideas, theories and possibilities clouding the reason for the howling only moments before.

"Enough!" Sam bellowed, his status of Alpha locking down every mind save his for a minute. "Now that Paul is here, the rest of you may return home. Thank you for your assistance."

Nodding numbly, the pack phased out, leaving Sam, Paul and Jacob.

"Jacob, there is nothing that can be done. I realize that this newest aspect may be strange to you, but it is what it is. Go home; you will be needed tomorrow."

"What?" Jacob asked in confusion. He had just assumed that Bella would be escorted to his house. Until Sam had demanded that everyone phase to find Paul, he had been preparing to go pick her up.

"Sam, Bella doesn't know you or Emily very well. She known Billy all of her life and I'm her best friend. Wouldn't it make more sense for you to bring her here, to my place, so she's at least in familiar surroundings?"

"Did you not just see in what condition she's in, Jacob? She would be humiliated in the morning, waking up and realizing that Billy had seen her like this. I'll allow for you to meet up at my place, but Bella is not staying with you, not tonight. If, after the morning she wishes, she can."

Ignoring the mentally traumatized wolf, Sam focused on Paul.

"The scenes you have shared tonight are between you and your imprint. Out of respect, I will ask you not to project more than normal at any given time. However, for now, I must ask that you bring Bella back here to the reservation. I'll expect you to be at my house within the hour, along with Bella. I'll let Emily know Bella will be accompanying you."

Paul could care less where he dumped the sleeping girl for the time being; he was half tempted to leave her where she was and let Jake come scrape her up of the ground. He had yet to be told what the fuck was going on to begin with; the jumbled thoughts of his whereabouts from the pack mindset abruptly interrupted with his own, followed by the Alpha lockdown not allowing for any pertinent information to be passed.

Mentally snickering, Paul decided he needed some answers before agreeing to be human taxi.

"That's great, Sam. I'm sure Bella will be excited to visit another imprint at eleven o'clock at night, braless and covered in stuff you already asked I not over share. The fact that she's passed out drunk, doesn't know Emily other than a typical 'hi', here or there, and is expected at home might freak her the fuck out a little. It's okay, though. I'm sure once you tell her it was an Alpha order she'll be as giddy as I am."

Sam let Paul carry on a bit with the disrespect, both his and Jacob's hearts heavy with the news that was about to be revealed.

"Paul, I wouldn't demand you to bring her for something trivial. Please stay quiet for a minute so Jacob can show the need for urgency."

No words were spoken as Paul witnessed Jake in his living room, lying on the couch and casually skimming through channels. The shrill ring of a phone broke the monotony, Jacob throwing the remote down, walking to the kitchen and answering with a casual "Speak."

"Is this the home of William Black?" A stiff sounding male asked.

"Uh, yeah, it is. May I ask who's calling?" Jake returned, looking over to see the Caller ID. The name and number were apparently blocked, the screen flashing 'Private'.

"Are you William E. Black?" The man asked, confused by the deepness of the tone.

"No, I'm his son."

"It is vital that I speak to William. Will you please get him?"

Jacob was confused as he didn't recognize the voice at all. Worried that it might have something to do with one of his sisters, he hurriedly went to find Billy who was sitting out on the porch, quietly enjoying the night.

"Dad, some guy is on the phone asking to speak to you. I don't know who it is, but he said it was important."

Jacob paced in confusion as his dad took the call. As a shape shifter, he was more than adequate in eavesdropping in on the call, but he couldn't focus that strongly. The voice he had heard certainly wasn't someone from the tribe. Having grown up on the Reservation, everyone here was introduced and taught to speak Quileute, giving any one who did a small lilt to their voice that only the well spoken or a wolf would be able to detect.

Rebecca called every couple of months and Jacob had even spoken to his brother-in-law on occasion. The man had a deep voice, heavy with a Polynesian dialect that after hearing you'd never confuse with another.

That only left Rachel. She was off at college and while a good girl, she also wasn't one to forgo a social activity if asked. Obviously she had done something and gotten in trouble, or worse, had been hurt.

"Jacob, do you know where Bella is tonight?" Billy asked suddenly, his voice snapping Jake out of his own turmoil.

That question, however, did nothing to ease Jake's anxiety. His thoughts turned away from worrying about blood family to just family as that was how he had categorized Bella: as family.

"She said she was going to a graduation party, tonight. Some kid whose parents Bella works for," Jacob said slowly, his tongue suddenly feeling weighted. "Why, is Bella okay?"

Billy tightened his grim lips in strain. "I don't know, son. That was a Forks Deputy Officer. There's been an accident and no one can find Bella. She was at the party, but none of the kids know what happened to her. Her truck is still there and one kid said she thought she had seen Bella wander out front. The officer, however, said that none of the witnesses were very reliable as the most were drunk… among other things."

"Shit! I'm going to go out and let Sam know, so we can immediately start searching." Whirling about, he kept talking as he strode towards the door. "I bet it's those goddamn leeches. Damn it! I knew that creepy fucker wouldn't just hand her over and be done with it. He probably swooped in and took her-"

"Jacob," Billy called out hesitantly. "Please wait a minute, son. There's more."

_More?_ Jacob didn't think he could handle any -obviously bad—more.

"Oh my god. They found blood, or a trail, or something, didn't they?" Jake asked, horrified and close to crying. He wished he had just gone with Bella whether she wanted him to, or not. At least he would've been around to protect her.

"No, I don't think so. At least, the officer didn't say anything like that." Wheeling over to where Jacob stood towering and trembling, Billy grabbed his hands, squeezing tightly. "Son, there was a car accident."

Jacob stared first at his father then down to their joined hands. He couldn't piece together what his father was saying. There had been an accident, but they couldn't find Bella? If there wasn't any type of trail and Bella's truck was still safely parked at some kid's house without any real witnesses knowing where she had gone to, how did it concern Bella?

When Jake's eyes finally zeroed back in on his dad's, it was to see the shimmering obsidian orbs glazed with tears Billy refused to let fall. "Charlie, he was…he was driving back from Port Angeles and another car on the road…Son, Charlie's dead."

Jacob stumbled back a few paces, his hand still firmly clasped by his dad's. "Charlie was killed?" He whispered questionably, his mind unable to wrap around what his father had just told him.

Bella would be devastated. No one knew where she was and that worried Jacob slightly; probably more so than knowing what Billy's bad news was. He needed to find Bella.

"Jacob, should I call Sam? I can have him and some of the others start a hunting party. Paul alone will be able to find her easiest. Maybe I should call him first?"

"Are you kidding?" Jacob yelled, shaking off his father's grip, ignoring the look of surprise. "If that ass wipe had been doing his job in the first place, none of this would've happened. The last thing Bella needs is that useless fuck trying to torment her at a time like this!"

Wrenching open the front door, Jacob exploded off of his porch, clothes spraying in wild fury as he ran towards Forks to find Bella. Sam was on patrol at the time, seeing the constant play of the last ten minutes, speeded up in Jacob's mind. He stopped the young wolf quickly, issuing a short yell in the air for nearby wolves to phase as he took off for Paul's house, instructing Jacob to follow.

The rest of the events melted away. For once, Paul was incredibly shocked about what had happened. No one said anything as Paul struggled with what type of reaction he was supposed to express.

"I'll be there in twenty!" Paul snapped before phasing back.

He felt bad that a teenage girl's father had just died and the fact that it was his imprint, caused his wolf to whimper and shrink. This gave Paul the human enough power to lead the emotions. Redressing again, he grabbed his imprint and slung her over his shoulder, taking off at a run towards La Push.

* * *

><p>"Where do you want her?" Snapped Paul as he walked into Sam's house. It was just as small as Paul's, but nowhere near as dingy or empty feeling.<p>

Standing up, Jacob stalked over to him, relieving the burden Paul felt like he was carrying. Despite having seen what she had been through, Jacob's nose still flared in disgust as the odor of Paul oozed from her every pore.

"You know, Jakey, after I just discovered that delicious tidbit of imprint improvements, I'm gonna have to desist on you giving her a bubble bath," Paul called out to the figure disappearing towards the bathroom. He knew Emily was in there to do…whatever it was she felt like had to be done; the fact that Jake was so willing to help placed Paul in a sarcastic mood.

Sam still said nothing as Paul casually sprawled out on the couch, studying his nails as the sounds of clothing being removed could be heard by both. Only Sam stiffened a minute later when Emily gasped and Jacob growled before rushing back into the living room.

"It was the night of her graduation party and you did that!" Jacob screamed, running towards Paul. "You fucking piece of shit, I'm going to show you how one man takes care of an insufferable prick like you!"

Paul tensed, preparing to fight when Sam intervened. As the young wolf rushed past, Sam grabbed him from behind, Jacob's momentum carrying them both a few feet before Sam could brace himself and lift the angry man.

"Stop it, Jacob," Sam grunted from behind. "I realize you are upset, but things happen for a reason. You have already seen this is how it needs to work."

Refusing to be easily pacified, Jacob continued to try and heave the other man off of him. "I saw no such fucking thing! That messed up bastard caused this and he needs to be brought down. She didn't ask for this; she didn't want to be used like a fucking whore, so he could get his rocks off."

Suddenly releasing him, Sam took a step back while sweeping his foot beneath Jacob's momentarily unsteady ones and pushing hard so the man was forced to sit on the ground. "And what do you plan on doing about it?" Sam demanded. "Do you think Paul will change just because you fight him?"

"I don't plan on fighting him; I'm going to kill him." The coldness from Jacob's tone left no doubt that he fully intended to carry through on that promise.

"What about Bella? If Paul dies, she could too," Sam questioned, knowing it was Jacob's one weakness.

"That's not what Elder Quil said. He said when Bella came back that it wouldn't matter if she was already dead. That her presence would heal Paul so that he could live."

"Jacob," Sam spoke softly, "Imprinting is a wolf trait. It is Paul's soul that is the core, hers nothing more than an accompanying moon. It is why there are no stories about a rejection. Yes, Paul could've survived, but Bella won't."

"Bella never asked for this. She either has to be used, or take her own life to get away. How is that fair?"

"It is fair because that is what they truly want. Sometimes a person craves a specific food. It's not they want to necessarily eat it, but they think they do because the body is in need of a particular nutrient. Jacob, this is what their souls need. Bella's head won't admit it, but her soul and maybe even part of her heart has."

"Bella doesn't want this; I don't give two shits that it's what the wolf needs. Before everything is finished, she'll probably wish she was dead if she doesn't try to take her own life in the process." Sam's explanation had once again broken Jacob's spirit, his next words the hardest thing he had ever said, and would ever say. "Maybe she would be better off if she did die."

Sam sucked in a sharp breath, ready to reprimand the boy when Paul's mocking voice called out.

"Alpha, I think you need to insist that young Jake here not tell the fair squab about the new circumstances. I'd hate to ruin the surprise."

Jacob's growl was met with a challenging look. "Fuck you, Lahote! I'm not about to let her go into this blindly. As soon as she wakes up, I'll tell her."

Wearily, Sam rubbed his eyes. "Jacob, you can't do that. I don't agree with Paul's reasoning, but it is between him and Bella."

"You can't be serious!" Jacob pleaded, once again reminded that if it came down to it, he would have to set his pride aside and agree to whatever Sam demanded of him.

"I am," Sam whispered, adding sadly, "more so than I wish I had to be."

Slumping in defeat, Jacob allowed the news to spread though him. Sam might be sorry for what had to occur, but by god, Jacob was Bella's best friend and even though it may him nauseous to think it, he would do whatever she asked of him.

Even if it ended with assisted suicide.

* * *

><p>Bella awoke with a groan. Her head was throbbing and it felt like her stomach was flipping over and over in the form of a figure eight. It wasn't pleasant.<p>

Stretching her fingers, the soft cotton confused her. Her eyes blinked rapidly as she looked for her usual dark blue flannel sheets and was met with something pink and flowery. Not only that, but the bed was larger, a sure sign that Bella was not at home.

Struggling to sit up, Bella tried to figure out where she was. When she looked down at her attire, the poor girl stumbled from the bed; full blown panic overriding any thoughts she might have had. The knock at the door only increased the pounding of her head, stomach and now heart.

"Bella, can I come in?" A woman's voice questioned.

Relieved that at least the other person was not only a female, but seemed to expect her here, Bella crooked out a 'yes'; sitting back down heavily when a somewhat familiar face came into view.

"How are you feeling this morning?" Emily asked closing the door behind her and walking over to sit near Bella on the bed.

"Fine," came the croaked reply. Clearing her voice, Bella tried again. "I have a small headache, but I'm okay." Looking around the room uncomfortably she couldn't look Emily in the eye while adding, "I...umm…don't remember where we are though."

"Paul brought you to my house last night." Keeping it light and simple, Emily waited to see what the girl could remember.

"I…he did?" The surprise she felt was the worst, Bella thought, wondering why Paul had felt the need to bring her to La Push.

"He's here," Emily offered instead. "Do you want to talk to him?"

Bella wished she hadn't shaken her head rapidly in response to Emily's question. Her eyes snapped shut tightly, trying to ease the uncomfortable dizziness she felt take over.

"Okay, well I washed your clothes and brought them in for you to change. You can come out whenever you want to, no rush." Setting the bundle down, Emily rose quickly to leave.

Bella made her way out of the bedroom after dressing, using the wall for support to walk towards what she hoped was the living room, or kitchen. She was surprised to see Jake and Sam staring at her when she finally emerged from the hallway, her best friend jumping up quickly to help her find the couch.

"Hey, Bells," Jake whispered to her, something in his tone making her look at him with a puzzled frown. "Can I get you something to eat or drink?"

"I was going to get some water, but I can do it," Bella offered, Jake's hesitant hand on her thigh stopping any further movement she may have been intending.

"It's okay, I'll do it."

Before she could move, Jake had gone into the kitchen and was back, a large plastic tumbler gently placed into her hand.

"Do you remember what happened last night?" Jacob finally asked, breaking the intense silence.

The pounding in her temples increased, Bella wincing from both the feeling and the need to think back to last night's events. "I went to Mike's graduation party and then…I don't know."

Taking another sip of water, she was reminded of having been given a drink, something that had tasted good. Her complexion paled slightly as she realized that she must have called for a ride, knowing she was too drunk to drive even though she couldn't remember that. Her eyes caught movement and looking up, she realized Sam had leaned closer, a subtle sign for her to continue.

"I thought I remembered Paul showing up, but that can't be, although Emily said he was here…" Trailing off, Bella looked about, as if expecting the man to be sitting somewhere close.

"He's outside, close by," Sam spoke unexpectedly, jerking his head towards a window.

"Oh," Bella whispered, unsure of what else she needed to say. Obviously Paul had brought her to La Push uninvited by Sam. For the life of her, though, she couldn't figure out why he'd dump her here and not at Jake's. It also didn't make much sense that she'd call Paul instead of Jake, unless Paul had been ordered to collect her as his Imprint.

Jake kneeled in front of her, grasping both hands tightly as he stared up into her lowered face. "Bella, honey, I have some really bad news. Just remember: I'm here for you, no matter what you need."

"Okay," she smiled softly and uncomfortably. Apparently she was right and had somehow managed to make a complete ass of herself.

She frowned again when Jake placed a small object into her lap. It was a plain, white cardboard box; the kind jewelry was usually placed in. Looking back up at Jake, she was confused.

"It's not from me," he explained, "but I think you should open it first."

Thoughts of Paul and the fact that Sam had said he was close by, made her nervous. Her fingers trembled the entire time she tried to pull the lid off, greeted by the sight of rectangular cotton. Plucking at it, her eyes widened when she saw the simple charm nestled beneath.

It was a silver book. Still confused, Bella picked it up, watching in fascination as the charm moved. The book was hinged and as her fingers clicked it to open up, she realized there was an inscription:

_An inspiration for your dreams, Love Dad_

"Jacob, why do you have this?" Bella asked, placing the charm back in the box to look at him. Maybe Charlie knew she had gotten drunk and was embarrassed to face her?

"Last night, Billy got a call." Jacob's hands encased her again. "Bella, Charlie was in a car accident. He didn't make it, honey."

Confused, Bella looked at him. She heard the words, but they didn't make much sense to her. Her hands must have turned cold, Jacob was rubbing them consistently, yet Bella still couldn't figure out what was wrong. The dam finally broke when she saw his tears.

Her own tears burst forth, a horrible wailing echoing back from the walls. The charm box was lost as she screamed, fought and attacked her best friend; his words too mean to be true. She was a horrible daughter, off getting drunk while her dad had been dying. It had to have been worse than she thought as no one had attempted to sober her up to break the news.

Bella struck out; the pain she received when her fist and hands struck something, a gentle reminder that she deserved it a thousand times over. Her pain meant that she could feel and if she could feel then she was alive. Unlike her father, whose only daughter couldn't even be sober to say goodbye.

For every scream, for every tear, and for every hit, Jacob let her unleash. He didn't know what she was thinking, that she blamed herself for events that hadn't occurred as she thought. He saw before him a young girl's life crumbling quickly before his eyes, every lash like a polar icecap tumbling into the ocean. Despite the horror of knowing it might have been preventable, you could only mourn the destruction taking place before you. His own sadness was silent, only marred with equal droplets of anguish.

Bella couldn't be calmed down. She couldn't see Sam move away, nor hear him issuing commands for another to come inside. She didn't witness Emily watching from the doorway, the woman's heart breaking along with her, knowing that there was nothing she could say or do to help Bella. She wasn't aware of the warm body beside her own, allowing her to anchor on for support in the abyss of despondency for the father she no longer had.

Paul didn't want to see this. Bella Swan's pain at losing her father was different than pain he could inflict. The type of agony being presented was indescribable. This wasn't the same as watching a person have hurt feeling over being called a name, or the sight of watching dreams crumble. This wasn't the pain of watching some braggart run his or her mouth only to fall flat on their face. Bella's agony was from loss and it hit Paul hard.

Stoically he watched her breakdown, Jacob finally moving to pick her up and let her cling to him as the life faded from her voice and eyes, the moisture still seeping in rivulets.

It was Jacob who finally called out to Paul, his voice snide and angry while informing him of his plans to take Bella back to the Black's where Billy could help make arrangements and call Renee and Paul watched, listening with his spine rigid as steel, his mind focused on numbers…and time.

Five days later, by order of Sam, a reluctant Paul went with Jacob to the Swan funeral. It was Jacob who held Bella's hand, switching the damp tissues from her hand with new ones and escorting her to say a final good bye. It was Jacob who pushed his father's chair to the podium, where the boy's father gave a eulogy, the young wolf hurrying back to sit by Bella. It was Jacob who the town's folk whispered of, approving of his demeanor and knowing he held a true, inextinguishable love for the grieving Bella Swan.

For half an hour every day, Paul sat in the Black's living room, occasionally glancing at the girl who had yet to speak more than a dozen words at any time. It was Jacob who would make sure she drank some water every few hours, or ate regular meals. It was Jacob who led her to the bathroom every day, brushing her hair and handing her a toothbrush before turning the shower on, cajoling her to bathe, before stepping out to wait and listen until he was sure she had done so and was changed into the clean clothes left on the counter.

It was the wolf who hadn't imprinted on Bella Swan that took care of her and Paul didn't care. Two months passed before Paul outwardly spoke to her again.

* * *

><p>Jacob was trying to hide his grin when Bella asked for more juice at breakfast one morning. Charlie's death had hit her hard and Jacob worried she would never recover. He often found her staring blankly into space, clutching the charm Charlie had bought her as a graduation present.<p>

Billy had told Jacob that Charlie had been coming home from picking it up when the accident occurred. The order had gotten delayed and Charlie was a bit upset he hadn't been able to present it on graduation night. The entire reason for him sending Bella to the party was to give him enough time to pick it up and be home in time to give it to his daughter.

After witnessing how hard Bella had taken his death, no one felt it was wise to tell Bella.

When Bella had asked for more juice, her voice had been lighter. She was still grieving, but Jacob could feel a difference in her. When Paul walked into the kitchen and sat down, Jacob's mood turned black.

The chair screeched loudly across the worn linoleum as Paul pulled it out to sit across the table from Bella, his back to Jake. His imprint had winced at the sound and her movements slowed as she avoided looking at him.

"Here you go, Bella," Jacob cut in, dropping a carton of juice in front of her.

"No, thanks, Jake; I'm finished. I'll do the dishes later if you want." Scrambling to get up, Bella wanted nothing more than to retreat to the spare room Billy had allowed her to stay in. Between the time she had spent with Edward and Charlie, she couldn't handle going back to her house.

Jacob had packed her things for her, after Renee had agreed that Bella should sell the place. The mother had expected her daughter to come home with her and start over fresh, in the South where there weren't any memories of pain.

Billy knew what would happen if Bella left. Urgently he had instructed Jacob to make it look as though they had a budding relationship. Renee had always been a sucker for romantic gestures and as she watched Jacob do what he would have anyway, she decided that Bella would benefit from staying in Washington with the young Native, who didn't look so young, but had a heart of gold.

Bella had no sooner cleared the room when Jacob spun on the other wolf.

"What the fuck are you doing? You can't just disrupt the pattern we've set for her."

Cocking an eyebrow, Paul spoke half-heartedly. "I don't think it's up to you to set a pattern for my imprint, Black. I'm here because I wanted to speak to her…before you scared her off with the juice." Chuckling at his own joke, Paul reached out to grab Bella's discard glass, pouring a glass for himself.

"You have no goddamn business speaking to her at all, Lahote!" Jacob blared. Angrily he grabbed the carton of juice and glass out of Paul's hands before he could take a drink. "Your hour of visitation is late afternoon. Suddenly appearing at," looking over his shoulder, Jacob sought out the clock, "eight fifteen will only cause problems and she doesn't need any more than she has!"

"Are you forgetting about my little revelation when all of these problems got worse?" Paul inquired smoothly in reference to his night of foreplay with Bella.

"You mean when you forced yourself upon a young lady too incapacitated to say no?" Jacob shot back, tremors of rage skimming across his fingers.

"I wasn't exactly myself that night either, but she never said no." Mid shrug Paul found himself being hauled out of the chair, his body hitting the floor with a loud thump and activating his predatory gene.

Jacob saw him coming, prepared for the fight, but unprepared for the frustration radiating from Paul.

"You listen closely," Paul growled, his own fingers shaking as he tightly gripped Jacob's throat, shoving his attacker into a wall. "For two months now, you've been babying Bella: telling her when to eat, when to stand and when to take a shit. She isn't getting better."

Reaffixing his grip on the other wolf's neck, Paul began to apply more pressure. "I came over here to talk about this in a civil manner, but your head's too far up your ass and hers to see that."

Jacob wasn't standing by passively allowing Paul to choke him. The two men struggled violently, one with the power of love and the other with the power of want.

"I'm only going to explain this once, Black, and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it. When I come back over tomorrow morning, it better be to the sight of my imprint packed and ready to go. I'm tired of having to make these fuckwit tea party excursions to get my imprint fix. As long as she's useless, she'll be staying with me until something changes."

Paul stepped back quickly and ducked at the same time Jacob inhaled a loud breath of deprived air, swinging his fist as he rubbed his throat.

"She isn't a piece of property, Paul. You can't just claim to own her like a fucking car."

"Possession is nine-tenths of the law, Black," Paul explained as he made to leave. "And I plan to possess every inch of her."

Paul was often brash, loud and overbearing, but as Jacob hurried to call Sam, he knew there wouldn't be any way to override the imprinted wolf's decision.

* * *

><p>AN:Beta'd by ShadowPast620.


	7. Mechanisms

_**Mechanisms**_

* * *

><p>"Knock, knock," Paul called out the next morning while entering the Black's kitchen uninvited. Nobody could deny that the squab was his, but he figured Jacob would've barricaded the door. The only person in the kitchen was Billy.<p>

"Paul," the Elder greeted him casually, pushing away from the table to face his visitor. "Samuel has informed us as of last night that you will be taking over responsibility for Bella."

Casually leaning against a wall, Paul looked about the small area before responding. "I wouldn't call it 'responsibility', Billy. She can vegetate just as nicely at my house as she does here. I figured you guys would like to get back to a quieter household."

Billy only knew the bare minimum of details surrounding Paul's imprint. Sam had refused to elaborate on some of the past incidents, only citing that not all imprints were as previously believed but Billy had seen Paul when his imprint vanished. He couldn't fathom that there were people outside of normal boundaries who would view things differently like Paul had and his minimum contact with Bella since her father had passed away.

"She has to be helped," Billy requested softly. "You can't just ignore her and think she'll snap out of this and suddenly get better."

"That would make life a whole hell of a lot easier for everyone is she did, but no, I won't have to ignore her much. Remember, the great wolf spirits have fucked me over on this deal." Breaking eye contact, Paul looked at the kitchen entry, hoping like hell his imprint burden would show up and they could leave.

Seeing the anger, Billy sighed internally. He knew the young man would not hurt Isabella, but it would take time for her to realize that Paul was hurting as badly as she was. "Your anger and hatred are to be expected, Paul. The spirits have not granted you an easy path but they have granted you a path. Tread lightly and carefully; that is all I ask of you."

"Elder, I will do as I see fit," Paul said belligerently. "As you have said, the spirits have given me this path with no reasoning, or direction. A little wandering is to be expected." Abruptly, Paul turned away from Billy to meet the newcomers.

"Paul," Jacob gritted out, standing in the doorway. Beside him was the squab, staring blankly at nothing.

"There's my blushing squab," Paul ridiculed, waiting for a response from her. "Are you ready to go?"

Jacob spoke again, ignoring Paul's scowl at Bella's silence. "I heard you drive up in your truck. I've set Bella's things on the front porch for her. Maybe you could move them so I can feed her breakfast?"

Not even waiting for an answer, Jacob led her over to the table. Pulling out a chair, he whispered for her to sit down, pausing as she settled before pushing the chair in. Still he didn't scream, yell or give Paul any more than the usual amounts of dirty looks although Jacob's mannerism was stiff and jerky, like he was being forced to…

'Hot damn!" Paul yelled out, grinning sarcastically. "Our Alpha really had to lay it down for you, didn't he, Jakey? That's why you're so soft and compliant isn't it?" Not waiting for an answer, Paul turned towards the front of the house. "I'm going to go load up her shit. Try not to dally over the choice of jelly or jam during breakfast; Isabella has a busy morning in store for her."

On the front porch, Paul stopped short, frowning. A medium sized box, a full sized suitcase and a duffel bag were all that waited to be moved. He hadn't been paying attention when he drove up, but this couldn't be all of her stuff, could it?

Grabbing the box first, Paul easily picked it up to fling over the tailgate where it made a loud thump hitting the bed of the truck. A few more steps and the suitcase and duffel bag had joined the box, all of them looking particularly depressing.

The whole thing had taken less than a minute and Paul was not eager to reenter the kitchen and stare at the squab as Jacob hand fed her. That shit would definitely stop as of lunch time today. He would put the food down and she'd either eat, or she wouldn't. He was not going to be her nurse-maid; not when she was more than capable of picking up bread or holding a fork by herself.

To pass the time, Paul tried to picture how life would be for him and the squab, once she figured out how to a person again. He could hear Jake talking to her in the kitchen, passing a glass for her to drink from all the while promising to come visit several times a day and that she could call him whenever, regardless of a the time.

Paul tried not to snort at that false promise; his house didn't even have phone service. If Bella wanted to talk to him, she could probably step outside and scream Jacob's name really loud. It might take a few tries and after the first bellow, Paul was more than likely to clamp a hand over her mouth to drag her back inside but Jacob might hear her the first time.

Deciding that the squab and stupid-wolf were dragging their feet, Paul went back inside to be met with a kneeling Jacob pushing some shoes onto Bella's feet while she just stood there, using the wall for support.

"Finally!" Paul snapped, letting the screen door bang behind him. "Can we leave now? I didn't know it was going to take so damn long, or I would've eaten before heading over here."

"There you go, Bells," Jacob spoke softly, gently setting her foot down and then standing back up to pick her up in a tight hug. "Remember, I'm close by, okay? I'll help you out with whatever you need and I'll visit after lunch, okay?" he mumbled into her neck, his voice thick with emotion.

Still unresponsive except for her arms that loosely encircled Jake's neck, Paul thought Bella looked okay with the new arrangement. She wasn't crying, or trembling; unlike Jake who looked like he was about to cut off his own dick. Maybe he was? Paul had always figured the younger wolf would roll over and beg if his squab had asked and even though she didn't hold any apparent sexual feelings for Jake, Paul also knew that if she had, Jake would fight to the death to make it happen, regardless of an imprint.

"Geez, get a hold of yourself, Black," Paul muttered, tired of watching the one-sided touchy-feely shit. "I'm not carting her off to the other side of the fucking world. She isn't going to perish between now and the next three hours when you come charging over to my place to check on her. Drop her, so I can be on my way," he spat, taking a step closer to yank the squab away.

Turning his body, Jacob set Bella back on her feet and then reached for her hand before Paul could do something stupid like manhandle her. "Let me just walk her out, okay?" He told Paul. "You're getting what you want and it won't cost you any extra time."

Eyes narrowed, Paul contemplated Jake's motives before spinning around to march towards his truck, wishing the love sick puppy would get a grip. There was no way Jake could ever be with her unless Paul was to die and even then…no one really knew what would happen to her.

He had the truck started and idling richly before Jacob could open the passenger door to help Bella in. Paul continued to watch out of his peripheral vision when Jacob fastened her seat belt, pausing to skim his lips across hers before saying good bye again.

The sound of the door latching closed wasn't heard as Paul gunned the engine and took off, the truck bouncing unsteadily on the graveled driveway. Three minutes later and the truck slowed down as Paul approached his house. Pulling the keys out, they both sat there as the engine heaved before falling silent.

"Welcome to your new place, squab. I'll grab your shit later; let's go." Not waiting to see if she'd comply, Paul got out and headed to the front door to let himself in.

Ten agonizing slow minutes later, Bella also entered the house, her movements hesitant. Life was about to get a lot more complicated.

* * *

><p>Not much changed after Bella moved into Paul's house. She still didn't respond very often, nor act without instruction. Her eyes, usually vacant, occasionally lit up to stare at her surroundings as if searching for someone or something just beyond her reach.<p>

Paul put up with it as he planned on how to make this more acceptable. Working long hours at a nearby logging station gave him time to think. He still didn't love her, but could feel the chords silently and subtly pulling their souls, tighter and tighter to make everything fit as it should be. It was a cold, autumn Sunday morning when the chords yanked harshly.

They slept in different rooms, but on that morning Paul found himself in her bed, spooning her near naked body. He didn't lay out clothes for her and apparently after last night's shower, she hadn't been inspired enough to don more than a tank top and panties.

The wolf within tensed with anticipation.

"Oh, little squab," he whispered to the slumbering woman, his hand snaking its way underneath her top to play with her breasts. The warm contact caused her to shift slightly, pushing back against his frame.

Taking his time, Paul lowered his hand into her panties, feeling the soft curls his fingers had missed these many months. With the barest of pressure, he slid one finger up and down her warm slit, his own cock inflating rapidly. When she began to move her hips and he could feel the desired moisture, Paul removed his hand, licking his finger before sneaking his hand back to her neglected breast.

"I think it's time you came back to the world of the living." Squeezing her nipple hard, Paul was ready to move forward.

Bella awoke with a loud moan. Not of pain, but passion, her body suddenly on fire for the fix neither she, nor her wolf had felt for months. She couldn't remember what she had been dreaming of, but with the feel of need and a warm body pressed tightly behind her, she jerked in surprise. A hot calloused palm was cupping her breast and it pushed against her, adding more heat to her backside as it met a solid chest.

The same hand moved downwards quickly, Bella shamefully surprised and delightfully happy when it began to stroke in between her thighs roughly, eliciting another moan.

"Shh, little squab, we have time for that later. Right now, I need to come as badly as you do," Paul requested huskily, his tongue trailing across her exposed throat. "Will you let me warm you up? Can I stroke your sweet cunt until you explode in pleasure, my fingers buried inside of you? Say yes, little squab and put us both out of our misery."

"Yes, Paul, please," Bella begged, her thoughts only on the warm fingers stroking and squeezing her pussy, coaxing that feeling of euphoria to rise.

Growling in appreciation, Paul jerked Bella's panties down, his cock resting between her ass cheeks. Rolling her onto her stomach, he pulled his hand away unabashedly spitting into it before stroking himself for lubrication and placing his cock back between her ass cheeks.

The loss of fingers allowed some cogitation to enter Bella's head. She tensed, feeling Paul experimentally rub his penis on her butt.

"Relax," he whispered, leaning over her and adding more weight. "I'm not going to penetrate you, even if you beg so prettily, little squab." Still thrusting his hips, Paul shoved his hand back underneath, plunging two fingers into her pussy and relishing the feel of her bucking against him in pleasure.

His imprint was a needy little thing, constantly moaning and crying out appreciatively when he pressed his thumb against her clit. Her orgasm was close; Paul's too, as he thought about how to finish this make out session. Growling again, he bit her shoulder hard. Not enough to puncture the skin, but to bring her to heel.

"Get up on your knees," he gritted between clinched teeth, his tongue lapping the skin caught between.

Paul's body moved with Bella's as she brought her legs up underneath her and pushed. Without the weight of his body adding to the friction on her clit, Paul squeezed tightly, his fingers no longer inside of her.

Every single nerve ending in her body crackled and surged, the intense pleasure causing Bella to lose focus except for the guttural sounds Paul spoke into her ear. Seeing her like this was his undoing and as he came, he shifted quickly to line the tip of his penis up with her opening, shooting his load into her without actually having sex.

Feeling the burn, Bella whimpered as she came down from her sex high, still lost in the extended feelings as Paul began to finger her again, slowly rubbing the fluid inside of her pussy then withdrawing them to rub over her clit.

"You're almost fully marked now, little squab," Paul panted when his breath returned. Falling to the side, he pulled Bella with him, still stroking her lazily.

As her mind began to come back to her, Bella tried to focus on her surroundings. The walls she saw were grayed, bits of dry wall crumbled, missing in various places and not those of her bedroom at Charlie's. Slowly, she allowed her gaze to travel across the room, noting the dresser with missing drawers and badly peeling Formica. Bella had never seen this room before, not that she could recall and panic set in.

Her eyes drifted to the hand still touching her, the skin tone indicating that it belonged to a person of Native American descent. The charm around her neck shifted and as Bella grabbed the object with trembling fingers, her mind opened further.

…_The morning after her graduation party when she had gotten drunk and the look on Jacob's face when he told her she was now fatherless…_

…_The funeral where hundreds of people had come to say goodbye and Bella could only cry, too distraught to even give a eulogy that Billy had delivered instead…_

…_Renee asking repeatedly if Bella wanted to go home with her only to realize that Jacob was probably a better care taker for her emotional daughter and left Forks in a flurry, anxious to be with her new husband once again…_

The memories built faster and faster as Bella remembered.

…_She hadn't wanted to live; her best friend had been forced to take care of her like an invalid…_

…_How he had cried and left one night in a form of rage Bella had never seen before only to return and inform her that she had to go live with Paul; the wolf who was her soul mate…_

And then…this. How could she have allowed herself to succumb to Paul's traitorous ways? Jacob had told her on many occasions of how Paul used women, luring them into a false sense of security only to leave when he was tired of sleeping with them and Bella had fallen for it. Paul had somehow used her uncertainties and insecurities of herself to be let in, placing them in a room together this cold morning.

When his movements ceased, Bella finally pulled away, tears of anger and humiliation building quickly.  
>"Why do you do this to me? Why can't you leave me alone? I'm already stuck here; do you have to humiliate me as well?"<p>

Opening his eyes, Paul stared at his imprint's distraught face. "Did you not enjoy our little exercise?' He asked blandly, knowing she did, but that she couldn't understand why she did.

"No," she whispered in horror. "I don't appreciate being woken up, feeling things I don't want."

"You could have said no. Why didn't you?" Paul asked, his hand still draped across her from a distance.

There was no arrogance in Paul's voice and it scared Bella. No way was this her fault. "I didn't even know what was happening. I was sound asleep and then I woke up and…"

"And you felt such a euphoric rush of pleasure that you wouldn't have wanted to stop, if even given the chance?" Paul supplied, still smirking.

"You took advantage of me!" Bella screeched. "No one has ever touc—done that kind of stuff to me before. I was ashamed."

"No, little squab, you aren't ashamed. I gave you what you needed," Paul answered truthfully, watching her eyes grasp for the meaning that was so obvious.

"Why, because your inner-wolf told you so? Save me the idiocy, Paul. You took advantage of me and you know it!" Pushing at his hand until it slid off of her, Bella scooted further away to the edge of the mattress putting as much distance between them as she could.

"Did I, squab?" Paul asked, watching her wrap her arms around her stomach as if to protect. "This is the first time in months I've heard you speak more than ten words in an hour. Are you ashamed that I woke up your consciousness and brought you back to function like a normal person?"

Bella's head jerked up in surprise. "You struck when I was at my weakest point. I am in mourning and you took advantage of me to fit your needs." The intensity from a naked Paul scared her. She didn't want to see his body and dropped her head, hoping he'd just leave.

"No, I didn't!" Growling sharply, Paul sat up and leaned over Bella, his exhalations hot against her bowed head. "This is a side effect of a malfunctioning imprint. Our souls are trying to make us fit together doing so the only way it can." Pulling back, Paul observed her silent pose before leaning in again to whisper delicately in her ear.

"Don't you get it, little squab? Your mind is the only thing stopping from enjoying what I give you. The soul can't control your thoughts, not directly, but it can control your body. Even now, as you tremble in fear and shame, your body's nerves are tingling; wondering what I'll demand of you and it excites your system."

Paul allowed his tongue to trail from the lobe of her ear, down until he reached her shoulder and then moved over it to the red spot of a bite where he lapped gently. "The imprint knows that I am dominant, little squab, and you are an unaware submissive. Whether it's from your upbringing, or stories you've heard, you are afraid to act on the impulse, knowing that it must somehow be wrong, that normal people don't want to be commanded to do something especially in the bedroom."

Paul pulled away, suddenly gripping Bella's arms to give her a small shake until she looked up. "I don't care if you say you hate me, squab, but we both know that when we're horny, you will beg me to dictate to you what to do. Your sweet cunt is mine to control and even if your brain says no, your body screams 'oh, yes'. The more you deny the imprint, the more it will take over, nurturing what already exists inside of us to make a more perfect couple."

"I hate you," Bella rasped, his words a slap of truth she hadn't been able to place until right now.

"That you may, squab. I don't particularly like you either, but we're stuck with each other and until you've reached the point where you really want sex and we can join, you'll also have to be close by to me."

Releasing her and lying back down, Paul couldn't help but add, "Besides, you don't have to like me when I plunge my fingers in your weeping pussy. You don't have to think of how happy you are when I thrust my cock in between your lips, fucking your mouth until I come and your sweet lips beg for all of it and more."

"Never!" Bella yelled, furious at him for causing her heart to speed up excitedly at the prospect. "I will never let you do again what you did this morning, Paul."

Scrambling off the bed, Bella tried to run for the door, only mildly surprised when Paul picked her up and set her back down, holding her tightly in a bear hug.

"Little squab, you already have," Paul mocked her. "What we did this morning was just an appetizer to the first time. I don't want to remind you of other events that night, but at the graduation party, we were both drunk and it was enough to allow your inhibitions to fall away. You would have let me fuck you if I had wanted to. Instead I told you to suck my cock and your greedy mouth couldn't swallow it down fast enough."

"You lie!" Bella screamed, uselessly struggling to get away.

"I don't have to lie, squab, and I certainly can't do so to my imprint." Leaning in, his voice turned seductive while he quietly spoke of the first night. "I had promised to lick your honey twat if you would give me a blow. Both of us practically naked, you slid down and opened your mouth wide. You were so far gone in want to be dominated that when I grabbed your head and thrust, you took it all. I didn't even tell you I was coming and like a good submissive, you drank it all."

The memories had an effect on his squab whether she admitted it or not. The desire escalated quickly in both of them and Paul wanted more. "Would you like me to show you?"

Using one hand to tightly constrict around her arms and chest, Paul dropped his other one to her crotch, the fluids from before seeping through the fabric. His fingers began to stroke her again, not lightly, but not harshly either. Just enough to remind her body that this was what it wanted and that it felt good.

"Shall I demand that you suck my cock? Holding tightly to your shoulders, I could push myself into your mouth and it wouldn't take long before you happily sucked me, moaning while I told you what a wickedly dirty little squab you are."

"Do you want a repeat, squab? How badly does your body want to be dominated again?" Paul asked, continuing to torment her with both his fingers and his words; Bella's body struggling less from escape and more from needing his touch.

"Would it make you happy to hear me order you onto your knees, or would you prefer me to put you there myself; not giving you a chance to say anything when I gag your mouth with my dick? Your body loved it the first time, squab and after what we just went through, I think I'm going to have to prove it to you again."

When he could smell her desire at the fullest, he gently pushed her away.

"Stand in front of me and watch me, little squab," Paul directed, waiting for her to rise on shaking legs and turn around, her mouth parted in surprise.

Grabbing his dick, he started to stroke it from base to tip, sometimes curling his hand, but mostly intent on tormenting her inability to aid him.

"Your body wants to do this for me, little squab. Right now you wish you had just kept your mouth shut, or better yet, offered to give me a blow, so you could listen to me dominate you. Maybe I could've smacked your ass a few times, let you feel the heat of both my dick in your mouth and my hand on your pert ass."

Paul's breathing picked up as he imagined doing exactly what he had said. He wasn't going for endurance here; his squab would still be horny when all was said and done.

"You can deny everything," he panted, his tempo increasing, "but I won't engage another romp between us until you ask for it. Every night you'll lie in here, alone, while I stroke myself off, yelling out about all the things you could be doing, but won't."

He could feel his sac tighten, the head of his dick about to explode at the feet of his imprint and he wanted her to remember what she would be trying to deny his body.

"And when you do, little squab, I'm going to make you suck me off until your lips are numb. Then I'll play with your sweet cunt until you spread yourself out willingly, pleading for me to give you a release of any kind...Unnnfff…"Caught in the visual, his come sprayed out onto the floor between Bella's feet.

His imprint was fascinated, aroused and any rational thought she may have had left her head. Whimpering, Bella briefly wondered if he'd ask her to clean him, her body tense in pleasure with the promise of being told to help him, to be asked to suck him and to be dominated by him.

The imprint chords vibrated strongly with content as Bella's mind explored the ways she could let Paul use her. The wolf, or the base of the imprint, was doing as the souls needed: setting the boundaries and limits for a final unity. There wasn't any individual fairness or balance in soul chording. The phenomenon alone was meant to balance as a whole and not as two separate pieces.

With the last trickle of sperm dripped from Paul's cock, he ran his finger over the head, Bella watching closely. "I know you want it, little squab." With a deft flick of his finger the last drops fling to the floor. "Too bad for both of us, I'm not feeling generous. When you can return to your senses, you know where to find me." Standing up from the bed, he walked past a motionless Bella, her eyes still affixed to the floor in shame.

It took Bella's body six days to convince her to seek out Paul and another two before he relented and reciprocated the oral pleasure she had been giving him multiple times in the form of an apology.

The wolf and imprint chords were sated; the man and woman they belonged to, not so much.

* * *

><p>Life didn't exactly move forward for Paul and Bella, but it did move on. Autumn turned into Winter and then back to Spring with Summer fast approaching. With nothing on her horizon, Bella stayed at Paul's house, sometimes going over to Emily's to help garden. Neither spoke much to the other, but it was a break from the silence of her proverbial cage, and it kept Jacob happy, knowing she was out and not wasting away.<p>

Slowly she walked back to the house. She refused to call it 'hers' even though she lived there and it would never feel like a home. Despite those feelings, she refused to dwell on what occurred between her and Paul several times a week. It may not be sex; her body might crave it, glowing afterwards; and some people might even pay for what she did, but Bella knew she was trapped and she'd be damned if she gave in to the final closing of the imprint for as long as it would allow.

Centimeter by centimeter, though, Bella's mind became weary of the struggle.

As the drive way came into view, Bella was aware of a wolf following her. She didn't know exactly who it was, suspecting that eight out of ten times it was Jacob. The foliage rustled, the sound fading away as Bella walked up the porch, telling her that the guard was satisfied she had made it home and was leaving.

The door shut silently behind her, her feet the only noise as she trudged to the kitchen in search of snack. Giving up, she grabbed a glass for water, drinking deeply before setting the cup down and trudging into the living room to zone out for a bit.

Her zone time was quickly distinguished when Paul came home half an hour later, muttering under his breath and dropping a cooler on the floor.

"We're getting married," he announced into the dark room, clearly seeing Bella huddled on a couch. Frowning, he flipped the light on, a low burning bulb flickering before holding a steady, gloomy current.

"You want to…marry me?" Bella asked, completely flabbergasted. Out of every language ever know to man, the combination of those four words where the last thing she ever expected to hear from Paul.

Walking over to the bulb, Paul unscrewed it from the ceiling, unmindful of the fact that it was still on and rapidly heating. The room was cast back into darkness. "Hell no, I don't want to marry you. I said we are getting married. None of that implies anything about _want_ whatsoever." Lightly jiggling the bulb, Paul could hear the filament loosen. Making a mental note to pick up a new pack on payday, he reinserted it.

"I…don't understand. Why would we get married?" Bella wasn't panicking, but she certainly didn't look happy.

"Sam." To Paul, only one word was ever needed to answer her questions about their life. Remarkably most of the answers were Sam.

"We have to get married because of Sam?"

"Yes."

"What if I don't want to?" Bella asked quietly. She already lived with Paul, why go to any further trouble than her presence required.

"There are a lot of things you don't want to do, Bella," Paul cut out, running a hand through his hair in exasperation. "Hell, I don't want to marry you either. But guess what? We are getting married three days from now, courtesy of Sam."

"Sam?" Bella asked, feeling like a parrot, copying his answer, but she was still somewhat dumbstruck.

"Yes, Sam. Don't tell me you were trying to kill yourself again for the millionth time and have suffered permanent brain injuries? Sam, my wolf warden and part of the La Push council. You do remember that being a wolf means I'm seen as a protector and have to uphold the good boy image. To do that means I have to marry the chick who has been living with me in sin for awhile now; hence our wedding in three days."

"Sin?" Bella parroted again, her vocabulary down to one word entities only.

"Yes, sin, little squab. It seems that despite our need for me to dominate you, the rest of Washington thinks I might be using you even when you beg so nicely. The next time you beg for me to come on your face, remind me that it needs to be more private than in our driveway. Emily's mom was visiting and she drove by and saw."

The blush was expected, her cheeks almost glowing despite the shallow light. "No," Bella stated softly, yet defiantly.

Heading to the kitchen to grab a Coke, he called out, "Yeah, I wish it was that easy. Do me a favor and go out tomorrow and buy a dress or something. Seeing as we've never actually had sex, it won't be too hypocritical of you if you wear white."

He had no trouble hearing her as he rummaged through the fridge. _Damn, it was kind of empty_.

"I am not marrying you, Paul. My life is already tied to you; I refuse to have it publically recorded because of some custom that isn't even mine."

"Feel free to thank my ancestor spirits for that one," Paul answered, walking back into the living room with a glass of Kool-aid. "Once you're an imprint, you get to say jack about this as much as I do."

"I am not doing it, Paul, and you can't make me." Bella's determination radiated from her stance.

Slowly, Paul pulled his drink away from his mouth with a small measure of disbelief. "I can make you do much, squab, or do you forget that? Don't fuck around with this and just make it easy on both of us. The only thing a marriage will change is your name and my supposed reputation. "

When her shoulders finally slumped and Bella took to staring at the ground, Paul sat down in the recliner to flip on the TV.

For the next three days, Bella barely moved. She refused to eat, cook or clean the space she shared with Paul. He would come home from work, certainly angry, but he never hit her. He couldn't. On the morning of their wedding, it finally occurred to Paul that not only had Bella occupied the same spot on the couch since receiving the news, she hadn't showered either.

"You really want to play it this way, Bella?" Paul asked he came out of his room buttoning a shirt. " You will marry me and I expect you to tell me that you are going to behave yourself for this little ceremony and say 'I do', as need be."

Bella cleared her throat, scratchy from disuse for a few days before answering him with as much hatred as she could manage. "I'll do no such thing, Paul and you know I mean it."

"Okay, have it your way." With a casual shrug, Paul went to his room, rummaging for a few minutes in the closet before crossing the hall and doing the same thing in Bella's room. He returned with a hiking pack and sleeping bag securely attached to it, disappearing in to the kitchen before returning to stand in front of his stubborn imprint. For a moment, he worked the straps to resemble a single handle, dumping the ensemble to the ground when he was complete.

Bella watched his actions in silence, noting the camping gear and wondering if he was finally going to leave. When he finally dropped his bundle of stuff and gave her a stern look, she began to reconsider. Perhaps he planned on moving her out?

With bated breath, she watched as the man advanced upon her, wondering if at this point in her life she was too damaged to find solitude elsewhere.


	8. False Dawn

_**False Dawn**_

* * *

><p>Paul had an entirely different idea than moving out. At least not in the hopeful sense Bella was wishing. When she still didn't say anything, he leaned down, threw her over his shoulder, grabbed the pack and went outside, walking briskly. Once the town was a good two miles behind them, Paul began to run, his squab clinging tightly to his back.<p>

Forty miles away, out in the middle of nowhere, he stopped and flung her back over; knowing she probably had one hell of a head rush. While not gentle, he didn't drop her to the ground but sat her down, allowing for her equilibrium to return on its own.

The tent he had brought was set up quickly, the tiny structure only large enough to hold a sleeping body and the pack of supplies. The sky began to darken, indicating another shower was close.

"In you go, squab," Paul suggested, zipping down the door and shoving the pack inside.

"I'm not marrying you, Paul," Bella answered, not caring what he had to say about it.

Paul just shrugged. "Not out here you aren't. But since we can no longer live together in La Push without a marriage license and since we still need each other, I guess we're going to be roughing it." The sarcastic playfulness dropped from his tone as the first trickle of rain hit his flesh. "Now get your ass inside. I sure as hell don't want to have listen to you sneeze and cough tonight when we fulfill the chords."

When Bella still refused to move, Paul walked over to her, picked her up and proceeded to shove her inside of the tent, crawling in behind her and zipping the flap. There was only the one entrance and Bella would not be leaving unless Paul said so.

Four days went by in which Bella spent most of her time in the tent. The few times she'd venture out, a large grey wolf would watch from afar, Paul returning to the tent after she had gone back inside.

Paul didn't know what to think about the marriage arrangement. The fact that Bella Swan would forever be his wife was not an ideal situation to the man. The wolf, however, practically rolled around at the thought, eager for the imprinting to be sealed.

Sighing again, Paul knew that once they were wed, Bella would eventually take the next step and want to have sex. She might war over the idea with herself, but in the end, she would conclude that her body and chords couldn't be ignored. Basic biology itself was working against her. People chose who they wanted to sleep with but humans as a whole didn't care as long as they were fulfilled in more definitions than one.

Fucking Isabella Swan was not the hardest challenge Paul had ever met, but with sex came feelings. It was easy to fuck a girl a few times and then move on, not needing to feel guilty or affectionate. It was even easy to be in a relationship and eventually walk away some years later when someone better came along. The Imprint would never allow for either of them to walk away. Slowly, an idea began to form.

Paul knew she was physically willing to perform any of the tasks he demanded of her sexually. The minute he hinted to it, Bella's eyes would glaze over in needful lust. Her crying afterwards had stopped also. She loved the fine line of pleasure-pain but sometimes felt ashamed of her actions. Other than a few love bites and minor bruises, she was never harmed; the wolf made sure of that. Paul decided to push the boundaries more, the electric tingle of his own chords in full agreement.

Goddamn Sam Uley! This would be all his fault for enforcing the marriage. He had recognized that the bond was not set and thought it could gain enough power on its own to take the final leap needed but he had been wrong. Paul hadn't even hinted to having intercourse with Bella and that was the final slap.

The imprint would definitely be irreversible after that. Both Jared and Sam had been onboard with their own imprinting but after they had sex for the first time, there was a new aura to their souls. Sam wasn't willing for Paul to default either way. That along with the sex-type things they kept performing in public had brought about the required wedding.

By day five, Paul was going to take this all the way without sealing the imprint. It was late; Bella still awake in the tent doing who knew what. Stripping off his clothes, he crawled into the tent knowing his imprint couldn't tell he was naked.

"Are you pouting again, squab?" He asked, pushing her into a ball as he sat in the middle of their small enclosure with his legs crossed.

When she didn't respond, Paul's smile grew.

"It's been a few days since we've enjoyed each other's orgasms. Does my dirty little squab want to play?" Pausing, Paul inhaled loudly. "Mmm, yeah, it smells like my squab wants to play. Can I go first? I'd love to sit your sweet cunt on my face, plunging my tongue into your tight hole while you scream your pleasure. Will you let me do that, little squab?"

Any hesitation from Bella was barely noticed when she struggled to strip her jeans. Finally off, she bent over Paul to allow enough room to stretch her arms and take off her top.

"I'm really fucking tired of this," Paul interrupted, grabbing her arms still tangled in her shirt. Her head was clear of the garment and Paul was excited to leave her just like she was, semi-bound.

With his longer arms and strength, he flipped them. Bella planted on his face as promised with her torso lying above him and one hand holding the makeshift restraint.

He pierced her twat quickly with his tongue, in and out without pause until her lubrication became thick and she was moaning.

When his hand came down across her ass in a sharp slap, Bella cried out in discomfort, the sting of his swat sending a sharp response of need to her ignored clit.

Paul was relentless with his harsh spanking, the sound of flesh meeting flesh echoing loudly. Slowing his tongue, Paul allowed her to thrust against his face, partially on her own and partially from the force of his strikes.

His imprint cried out each time he struck, her tears as real as the continued sweetness he was lapping from between her legs.

"Paul, please!" Bella sobbed, her ass on fire.

"Do you want me to stop spanking you, little squab?" Paul questioned, feeling her hesitation as he carried on.

"N..no," Bella stuttered, her hips pushing wildly against his face. She wanted to feel the burn when Paul sucked on her flesh, making her come hard.

"Then I won't. Not yet." Paul sat up suddenly, pushing Bella down his torso to allow for him to change positions. "Kneel," he groaned out, feeling his dick leak pre-cum when Bella's head was in his crotch.

"Part those whiney lips, little squab and suck me. I'm tired of listening to you moan in pleasure. Now I want to feel it on my dick." Paul didn't allow for her to think about it. Grabbing his cock, he shoved it in her face, her mouth automatically opening for entrance.

He couldn't believe how easy it was to command her, his wolf and chords thrumming tightly when Bella sucked hard and fast. He let her set the pace, his spanking matching her speed. When his first orgasm hit, he pulled her head back with both hands, letting his seed fill her mouth.

"Yes, little squab. I know how much you enjoy the taste on your tongue," Paul panted thrusting very shallowly. "Once you've drained me this time, I'm going to fuck your mouth hard and let my come drizzle down your throat."

Bella's lips constricted even more, her tongue twirling around the head of Paul's cock to lick every drop of his sticky mess, her desirous sounds vibrating down his shaft.

"Yes, I know you like that and while you take it, I'm going to rub your neglected clit. You always come harder when my cock is in you, did you know that?" Paul asked rhetorically. Releasing her head, he let his squab take him deeper, his hands moving to stroke over her cherry red ass still thrust upwards.

"Red is such a beautiful color here. It coincides nicely with your pink twat," Paul said, leaning over her to rub his hands down her backside and back up under to her heavily lubricated twat.

"You're drenched, little squab," Paul remarked, dipping his fingers inside. "I should have spanked you sooner."

Paul felt her moan again, the movement of her throat wrapped around him causing him to buck in appreciation. With his thumb, he played with her clit, gently pressing against it in intervals to hold Bella on the edge of a climax while another thought entered his head.

He took his free hand, bringing it up underneath to run against her stomach and trail down to the curls covering her clit. With two hands working between her legs, Bella's pelvis rocked greedily, anxious to feel more friction. A sound of disappointment let Paul know that she thought he wouldn't be giving anymore.

"Shh, little squab," he cooed, withdrawing his fluid thick fingers from her, as his other hand continued to tease her clit. "I want to do something else."

Her panting excited Paul, his fingers trailing the crack of her ass, hovering over her other hole. With the gentlest movement he had ever shown her, Paul inserted a single digit into her ass, applying more pressure to her clit when he did so.

He let her control the movement, knowing the fingers on her clit wanted the friction but to do so would require his squab to let him finger fuck her ass. Paul could tell Bella was scared to move but when he moved his fingers away from her clit, her body followed.

"That's it, little squab. If you let my finger pierce your sweet ass over and over again, I'll let you come whenever you want," Paul groaned again, his swollen cock ready to explode as he felt these new muscles tighten and relax in excitement.

Bella's reaction was almost violent in nature when her need teetered on bliss. Paul couldn't help himself when he came again, thrusting one finger rapidly in her ass, two in her cunt and his thumb pressing hard. His cock slipped out of her mouth when she screamed her pleasure finally, wordless sounds that lasted for nearly two minutes as Bella's orgasm shook her to the core.

Her body slumped to the ground, every part of it aching in relief, too tired to move from position. It was Paul who finally removed her shirt, a bit mournful he hadn't played with her breasts, but sated enough to ignore them for now. He let his squab curl against him for heat, pulling the sleeping bag over her to cover her exposed heat.

It took Bella nine more days to come to the realization that Paul was serious about staying out here. She never saw another face except for his, even Jacob being barred from visiting her as he usually did. She didn't speak to Paul other than the times they pleasured each other. If Bella thought her life had been miserable before, it definitely was now.

She had no idea how to accept the newest twist to the pleasures Paul gave her. Her mind continued to scream it was dirty and wrong; Edward never would have dared to do such a thing if their relationship had progressed. Bella also knew that if Paul hadn't imprinted on her and she had given Jacob a chance, any sexual type activities they engaged in would have been sweet, gentle and loving.

The worst part of it all was that even though Bella was ashamed, she couldn't deny the pleasure it brought. Paul worked her body for all it was worth and she never would have even tried to do half of the acts if he hadn't demanded. His voice turned her inside out, the husky notes of promised pleasure making Bella willing to do anything to prove him right and he always was.

The rain was steady that morning when she crawled out of the tent, feeling dirty and backed into a corner. No sooner had she stood up than Paul was in front of her.

"Get back in the tent, squab. I already told you, I'm not playing nursemaid to an imprint too stupid to follow simple instructions." His arms were on her shoulders, turning and pushing before she could even wipe the water from her face.

"Wait! I'm not out here to get sick. Although, that might solve both of our problems," she mumbled the last part under her breath, choosing to ignore his apparent scowl.

Still being pushed towards the tent she spoke rapidly hoping Paul would listen. "I've decided to agree to the marriage. Take me back to the house and let me have one good night of sleep and tomorrow we can get married."

Forward movement stopped as Bella found herself being swung around to face him directly. He studied her face closely, his nostrils flaring slightly as he took in her expression: the mournful resignation, the dark circles from fitful rest and small sign of hopefulness to leave the forest.

"Alright," he quietly agreed, looking up at the clouds and breathing deeply. "It's still raining hard and I'm not about to drag you back to the town like this. Get back in the tent and in an hour or so, when the rain dies down, we'll go to the house where you can shower and go to bed. I'll call Emily and see if she can pick something up for you to wear."

This time his push wasn't as hard when he steered back under the protective covering, his hands steadying her as she bent down to crawl inside. As he zipped the flap shut in preparation of returning to his wolf form, he heard her whispering.

"Thank you, Paul," Bella mumbled, mentally adding '_maybe we can make this work.'_

* * *

><p>Her marriage to Paul was a sham. The first Saturday of June, she quietly recited her vows before a clerk of the court, her mind an empty pool of nothingness despite the connection to Paul she was cursed with. He knew it, too, standing beside her just as dispassionately, shoving the simple gold plated band onto her finger before giving her a quick peck to the lips.<p>

Only Sam and Emily had gone with them. Paul had nearly bit her head off when Bella insisted on Jacob accompanying them as a witness. Sam had broken up the argument stating that Jacob's appearance would be too much for her best friend to handle. Paul had almost changed his mind at that prospect, wondering how trashy the affair could become if Jacob tagged along to see what was becoming of his fair Swan.

"You really are mine, now, squab!" Paul commented as they pulled back up to the house. Cutting the engine, he turned to stare at the woman huddled against the door, her hands twisting over and over.

"Do you want to start the honeymoon now?" He asked with some excitement. The idea of licking her pussy and then jamming his cock into unknown territory became an extreme turn on.

Bella shook her head violently, still staring at the gold band that shone like a branding. She was married. To Paul Lahote. Her life had already crumbled; now it felt like a grinding.

"No?" Paul questioned, not hiding his disappointment. "Okay, I guess we can wait. You can sit out here if you want to but I'm going inside."

Bella watched as his lithe form disappeared, disgusted with herself. What the heck had she been thinking? At any time she could've just told the clerk she was a hostage or something. Unfortunately, any type of investigation would've proved her false. Bella knew that before she could even clear a police station, Paul would pick her up and bring her home to fuck. She wanted to cry when her body began to tense in excitement.

With heavy remorse, Bella went to the house, ignoring her…husband. The word sounded obscene in her head. Hesitating at the doorway to her room, Bella figured there wasn't any point in getting her sheets dirty. Paul would finally have normal sex with her and it might as well be his sheets that became stained with a supernatural crime. Equal parts remorse and excitement, she went to his room, stripped and lay on the bed to sleep. Paul would join whenever he wanted to.

Paul waited until early evening before seeking out his wife. The imprint chords couldn't know of the wedding, but somehow they tightened, an anticipation that had been building all day. This was the final step to the Imprint and despite the finalization, Paul—the man—gloried in owning the completion.

He sincerely doubted that after tonight, his wife would be able to walk for a few days; much like she hadn't been able to after she'd demanded he ram his cock into her sweet ass.

* * *

><p>Over the 4th of July weekend, a month after Paul and Bella had gotten married, the pack and their family members gathered at the beach to enjoy a holiday barbeque.<p>

Trudging slowly through the sand, Bella looked around at the happy families, people from the reservation she didn't even know, waving to her in greeting. Half heartedly, she'd raise her own hand, aware of Paul's eyes constantly watching her from his distance further away with other pack members.

"Hi, Bella," Kim greeted her, walking over from another cluster of people Bella didn't know. "Emily's here and asked if you wanted to help set up some of the food."

Nodding, Bella followed Kim, anxious to perform a task to ease her thoughts. Paul still hadn't allowed Bella to see Jake, but she knew her best friend would be here and it would cause too much of a scene if he continued to deny an interaction.

The sun had been set for nearly an hour when Bella finally got to see Jake. Wandering down the beach, she saw him sitting in the sand, studying the tide.

"Bells," he breathed out excitedly, happiness radiating from him when she sat next to him. "God, I've missed you, honey. How have you been?" His left arm swung behind her to pull Bella closely to his side in a comforting embrace.

"I'm good, Jake," she whispered, relieved to feel the arms of someone familiar around her; arms that would only hold her and not titillate her nerves into a sex-frenzied craziness.

They sat silently watching the waves break, each wanting to soothe the other but unable to do so.

"Why did you marry him?" Jake questioned, finally breaking the fragile stillness.

Stiffening, Bella forced herself not to pull away. Jacob's words were an honest question, yet they hit her conscience like an accusation.

"I don't know," she finally whispered, her mind screaming 'liar!'. "This is the path my life has to take, I guess."

"You could have said no," Jake suggested softly, forcing himself not to grieve in front of the girl he loved. It wasn't her fault; Jake knew that even though it still hurt to think that she hadn't tried to fight harder to stay away from her soul mate.

"Paul said Sam told him we didn't have a choice." Bella paused to tilt her face towards the man she had always admired. "Whether we did it now, or years from now, I have no choice. It was inevitable."

Jacob couldn't look at her, his eyes strongly focused on the water's horizon. "Sam did tell Paul that, but they couldn't force you into it. The council took him aside and asked him to fix whatever is going on with you two in any way he could."

Taking a deep breath, Jacob let the subject drop. It no longer mattered whose fault the marriage was. "I didn't want you to marry Paul," Jacob stated, hoping she would understand. "But I had hoped that if you did, things would be better for you."

Pondering his words, Bella began to piece what Jacob was saying. "You see it, don't you; when you're shifted?"

Her gut clenched painfully as the knowledge bloomed. Every word, every touch, every incident between Paul and Bella would be shown to Jacob, regardless if he wanted to see it or not. Bella had to strain to hear Jake's answer.

"He shows us, but Paul is a master at false memories. It's hard to tell what has actually happened between you and what he's either dreaming will happen or hopes to make happen." Unable to look away any longer, he finally turned to Bella. "He shows us the worst parts: the pain, the tears and the humiliation."

"Oh my god," Bella breathed her hand rising to clasp over her mouth.

Tightly clenching his hand into the sand, Jacob squeezed the tiny grains that were unaffected by his pressure. He hadn't meant to upset her but he couldn't lie to her; not the girl who meant the world to him. "Do you hate me, Bells?"

Slowly, Bella relaxed, easing into Jake's side to offer comfort for her revelation. "Sometimes. I can't help but think that if we hadn't been friends, maybe it would've been different. If you hadn't tried to heal me after Edward left, I might not be where I am now."

"You wish you were dead." The tone Jacob used to make that statement was flat. Had he not told himself that if Bella asked him to help her die, he would, consequences be damned?

"I don't wish that, Jake, not really," Bella explained, struggling to make him understand. 'It's different. I don't want to hurt myself, whatever is left of me, but I don't want to be here. I'm not dreaming of running away or people getting hurt. I just want to evaporate; disappear into nothingness, so I don't have to be aware."

Once more falling silent, the two sat closer, taking what comfort from each other they could. The clouds began to roll in turning the sky ominous. Quietly, Jacob led Bella back to the gatherings where friends were gathering their things and Sam quietly telling the pack to meet up at his house to continue the celebration with their loved ones.

No one noticed Paul standing off to the side and observing his wife in the arms of not only another man, but another wolf.

* * *

><p>"Man, doggie dodo is not a word!" Embry huffed, flicking Quil's Scrabble pieces off of the board.<p>

Snorting in agreement, Sam cast his gaze to the living room couch where Kim and Emily were dozing and Bella sat in a chair by herself, reading the same magazine page she had been fifteen minutes ago. He switched sights to her husband, Paul, who was absentmindedly shuffling tiles around and watching his wife.

Catching Sam's glance, Paul pushed his chair away to stand up, discarding his tiles back into the sack for the others to continue their game of werewolf Scrabble.

"I'll be back shortly, got to take care of something," Paul told Sam who nodded his understanding.

Only the Alpha and Jacob paid any attention to the newlywed who approached his wife. If Paul spoke, no one heard a word as his imprint dropped the magazine and rose to follow him into the backroom, the sound of the backdoor clicking shut as the two left the house.

Paul didn't have to say anything when he grabbed Bella's hand to take her to Sam's shed. Both could feel the tightening of the chords, triggered by Paul's anger and Bella's melancholy. The quickest and surest way to ease the discomfort was dominance.

"Lean against that counter and show me your ass," Paul hissed once the two were inside, pointing to the cleared off workbench occupying the far wall.

Paul was grateful that Sam's shed was not only fairly large but clutter free.

The sudden whack to her backside nearly launched Bella the last three feet to the bench, her cry of surprise quickly marred by desire. She dropped her hands to her button and zipper, grabbing the ledge instead when Paul's large hands smacked hers away.

"Fight it all you want, little squab, but we aren't leaving here until you can remember who it is that you belong to," Paul encouraged, hearing her button pop off and hit the floor. Her pants weren't even unzipped when he grabbed the belt loops and tugged them down to thigh level one handed while lowering his own pants with the other and taking out a small container in the process.

Delivering a rapid succession of ten strikes, he rubbed the flesh before looking around for something to use as a step stool. Spotting a cooler, he shoved in behind Bella's legs.

"Stand up!" He commanded, kicking first one corner of the cooler under Bella's upraised leg and then the other until she was tall enough for him to fuck without crouching.

"I saw you and Jake talking at the beach earlier and holding onto each other like it was something special," Paul said conversationally, grabbing the container he had removed from his pocket moments ago.

Filling one hand with liberal amounts of lubrication, Paul pushed on Bella's back to lean back over the counter, making her ass stick out in the process.

"Talking should not include making puppy love faces to each other, squab. Do you hear me?" Paul asked, rubbing his hand from the top of her cunt and back all the way to her tailbone before dropping his hand to grab his dick.

"I'm going to remind you what it is that you love about me, squab." Thrusting relentlessly, Paul fucked her pussy with enough force to make his wife grab the counter for support.

"Nor is it Jacob Black who makes your twat wet, is it squab?" Paul huffed, completely immersed in the feeling of her flesh sliding back and forth over his cock. "Are you going to answer me?"

Bella didn't want to answer, Paul's fingers digging into her hips and his pelvis slapping against her every time he rammed himself inside of her. Not giving her any type of choice, he reached underneath to pinch her left nipple tightly.

"We're going to make this quick, imprint of mine and when I come, you might get to, too. I need to take the edge off before I really dominate you and you're going to love every minute of it, aren't you?" Lifting Bella up so that her feet no longer touched the cooler, Paul tilted her hips, his cock sliding against her inner pelvic bone.

Bella hated Paul, every fiber of her mind despised this man roughly taking her, but her body was a slave to his attentions. She could feel his cock swell right before he came, still pumping between her shaking legs. She was close to the edge of coming, too, if only he would slow down so she could rub her clit or preferably if he did. The realization of wanting him to touch her for release issued a moan Bella didn't recognize.

Paul pulled out before she could get off, his come dripping from between her legs. Unknowingly her hand reached down to rub at the warm sticky substance.

"Not yet," Paul told her, grabbing her around the waist one handed and using his other to tightly clasp her wrists in front of her.

Sitting down on a sturdy wooden chair long forgotten in the corner f the shed, Paul placed Bella across his lap, ripping off her jeans and shoes, his own still pooled at his feet. When she was naked from the waist down, he had her straddle him, face forward, his wet cock erect between them and pushing against her clit.

"Move against me," Paul instructed, his fingers flexing and relaxing against her ass cheeks. "I want you to rub yourself up and down my cock like a bitch in heat."

Unused to being able to see his face when they had sex, Bella hesitantly grabbed his shoulders for support, wantonly forcing her body up and down his penis. The heat of his penis pressed tightly to her lips had Bella panting and aching with the need to pull him inside of her.

"Show me how much you appreciate my dick and the come I fill you with," Paul encouraged, pushing Bella's torso back slightly to watch her pussy grind his shaft.

"Paul," she asked breathlessly a few minutes into the activity, wishing to impale herself on him. "Please?'

Trailing his eyes from her crotch, up her stomach past her breasts and to her face, Paul delighted in the look of desperate concentration on his wife's face. "Please what, little squab?" He asked, jerking his hips and making her lips part even more. "I'm not a mind reader; tell me what you want," he dictated.

"Puh…please…uh…take me," Bella finally asked, her nails digging into the wide shoulders she was clinging to.

Paul almost came all over himself when Bella was finally able to make her request. With his fingers still clutching her backside, he shifted her away to remove some of the friction. "Is that what you really want? Do you want me to fuck you again so you can come all over my dick?"

"Yes," Bella panted, not caring how desperate she sounded. Her voice was low and she was grateful the rain outside had increased, muffling their voices from the other wolves in the house.

"Do you need me to dominate your body; are you willing to let me fuck how I want as long as you can come?"Paul growled directly in her ear, the words less of a question and more of a command.

"God yes please," Bella begged, her husband's voice a direct aphrodisiac for her body.

Bella couldn't see the movement, but suddenly she was facing away from Paul, her knees hooked over his forearms and her body spread wide should anyone walk in and see them.

"I'm still very angry at you squab and I think you need to be reminded what happens when I'm mad, don't you?" Paul asked, leaning them both forward to line up his dick. Without any objections from his horny wife, Paul pushed into her ass, the tight muscles clenching at the intrusion.

From this angle, penetration was difficult but not impossible and inch by inch she took him until her bottom was pressed against his thighs, his dick wedged tightly in her ass.

"We're going to sit like this while I play with your clit," The wolf explained, forcing himself not to throw his squab to the ground, fucking her wildly until she screamed.

With two fingers, he moved them slowly over the pert nub Bella wanted him to touch. "I'll ask you questions and if you answer them correctly, I'll give you hard friction," Paul teased, his fingers doing as promised for a few seconds.

He could barely concentrate when his squab started to arch her body, his dick slipping in and out of her while she told him how sorry she was and that she loved how roughly he treated her during sex; coming the hardest when he disciplined her with his thick cock.

"Open your eyes, wife and watch the pleasure that only I can bring you," Paul commanded, pinning her legs back up over his arms so he could bounce her ass up and down his dick.

Only part of Bella's logical mind was in place when Paul thrust cruelly but satisfyingly into her. This type of activity was not something normal loving people did. Even when she whimpered, the action fueled the lust from both of them: Paul well aware of how turned on she became and Bella delighting in giving him full reign to bring her pleasure however he wanted to.

"Right before you come for me, little squab, your ass squeezing my cock tightly when I fill you with the fluid you love, you're going to tell me how much you love it, or I'll make sure you don't get off for a month!" Paul told her, dropping one of his arms to rub her clit.

Wordlessly, Bella agreed, jerking hard to encourage her husband to give more friction. When he dropped her legs again, Bella took the initiative. Bracing her hands on his thighs, she pushed her body to ride him.

"Just like that, my horny little squab," Paul grunted too quietly for her to hear. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled seconds before he heard soft footfall from outside.

He couldn't tell what wolf was outside of the shed, but Paul had a good suspicion, confirming it seconds later when Jacob's breathless "Bella," floated past the door. Placing his hand over Bella's mouth to muffle her erratic breathing, Paul rubbed Bella's clit harder, knowing this was the perfect opportunity.

"Tell me now!" Paul hissed, thrusting hard as he came, Bella's clit pinched tightly in between his coated fingers.

"I love your cock fucking my ass!" Bella screamed in mindless pleasure, her eyes jerking up to meet the startled expression of Jake before unfocusing into the aftershocks of an orgasm.

Jacob couldn't breathe. He knew Paul had been manipulating the imprint into something jagged, disgusting and nothing that reflected the element of Bella. Seeing her orgasm in such a rough fashion, the obvious need to be controlled in an intimate style, tore away any lingering childhood fancies Jacob had.

Leaping the distance, neither of the two wolves consciously noticed the girl slip to the floor and get kicked out the way. People yelled, more bodies filled the shed, bone cracking against bone reverberated in the small area and Bella Lahote missed it all. Lust-drunk from her sexual high, the small woman's eyes closed peacefully as her soul's chords lulled its body into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

><p>Sam hadn't paid attention when Jacob got up to head for the kitchen for a drink. He still failed to notice the soft click of the backdoor where Paul and Bella had exited half an hour ago. When the rain stopped abruptly, Sam jumped from the table when he heard the shed door open, knowing he wouldn't arrive in time to stop a guaranteed argument.<p>

Had Sam spent a lifetime planning worst-case scenarios, his mind would never have gone to the depths his eyes showed him.

Bella Swan was partially naked in a corner, the pungent odor of sex evident in the room. Neither Jacob nor Paul was recognizable, blood erupting from the men's faces in torrents and splattering in grotesque patterns.

Quil and Embry immediately latched on to Jake's frame, trying to heave the crazed man out of the shed while Sam and Jared attempted to pin Paul against the wall.

"What the fuck is going on here?" Sam demanded, a loud thump echoing from the wall when Paul lunged forward and was thrown back.

Neither man could speak, both having their jaws dislocated and Sam wasn't in the mood for answers, aware of Paul's hatred towards the pack mate that went out of his way for another man's wife.

"Take him home," Sam directed to Quil and Embry as Jake tried to surge back into the shed. He didn't care how fucked up Jacob was, no way in Hell was such an angry person going into a house full of imprints.

It took time for the younger two wolves to drag Jacob away. Paul, too, wasn't struggling any less. Sam had to deliver his own punches into Paul's abdomen until the struggling stopped and he was left to lean over, breathing becoming painful.

"I have already warned you, Paul, not to rub Jacob's face in your imprint status. Whatever games you and your wife have to play are to be done on your property only. You got me?" Sam asked, stepping away from his companion.

Eyes roaming back to where Bella was, Sam's irritation grew. "Jared, go inside and get a blanket please. I'm going to drag Paul out to his truck. Cover up Bella and bring her out there also; we'll drive them home.

* * *

><p>Just before dawn the next day, Bella sat up in bed abruptly, clutching tightly to a blanket that wasn't hers. A form moved next to her, startling Bella, her eyes blinking rapidly when Paul turned the lights on.<p>

"I'm going to have to disappoint you, wife. I'm afraid I just don't have it in me to fuck you again tonight although you're free to suck me off if you want," Paul rasped out, his jaw still healing.

He watched his imprint stare impassively at his face, the blood dried in thick smears. His body hurt too fucking much to bother to shower and since his wife was still covered in fluids, she could wash the sheets later.

"How could you?" Bella whispered, reliving the brief seconds before her body had consumed in ecstasy the last of her awareness.

Trying to smile, Paul's face turned more distorted than it already it was; his right eye still swollen shut. "It's okay; I got Jacob good. Not sure who managed to kick you, but that bruise is less severe than the one I gave your tit two weeks ago. Take some aspirin and you'll be fine."

Backing away, Bella felt her feet hit the floor, a normal impact causing her body to scream in protest as pain flared everywhere. "How could you let my best friend see that?" She screamed, misery unleashing unwanted tears of anger and shame.

"That was the easy part, squab. I told you not to fuck around with another wolf, best friend, or not," Paul said, pausing to flex his jaw slightly until the discomfort turned numb. Did you see his face? Jacob Black was not going to leave alone. When he watched me fuck your sweet ass and then you yelled directly at him how you loved feeling my dick ream you –perfect, by the way—Jakey finally realized that as much as he thinks he loves you, he could never give you what makes you happiest."

Dropping to her knees, Bella screamed, the injustice of everything she had to go through, snapping her rationale. The horror continued, Bella pausing only long enough to gather more breath to wail her inarticulate rant in a high pitched, guttural sound.

Her vocal chords finally broke, the yelling diminishing to a hoarse yelping before ceasing. Hiccupping a few times Bella rubbed her nose against the sleeve of her shirt, not caring how she looked or what he may think.  
>"And what is it," Bella finally whispered, still using her sleeve as a Kleenex, "that you think Jacob can't give me that I need to be happy."<p>

"Too easy, squab," Paul chortled in delight. Leaning over, he peered over the bed, the crack of his shoulder realigning giving some comfort. "Jakey could never, in a million years, dominate you. He might learn to get frisky with you in bed and maybe, twenty years from now, not be such a chicken shit and fuck you hard enough to yelp, but he could never make you scream in pleasure like I do almost every night."

"I wish you were dead," she said, her voice cracking from the earlier strain. Bella didn't know of any word strong enough to explain how much she wished to have never heard of Paul Lahote.

Not offended in the least, Paul returned the sentiment. "I wish you were dead, too, wife. However, we've already discovered we're stuck with each other so let's focus on how much you like my cock and how much I like shoving it into any part of your body."

Silently, Bella attempted to stand up and leave the room, clutching the sides of the bed, a dresser and eventually the wall to gain access to the door; her husband's mocking laughter following down the hallway as Bella collapsed on the coach to cry and pray tomorrow would never come.

* * *

><p><em>October, same year…<em>

To gaze upon the beautiful body of a man stripped naked and lying beside her was always a struggle. Her body warmed immediately as he tossed and turned slightly to find a comfortable spot to sleep in.

"Are you watching me?" he whispered into the darkness his eyes never opening.

"No," Bella fibbed, her eyes transfixed on his form.

"Liar. Even with my eyes closed, I can feel you assessing me. Do I meet your approval?"

Turning over abruptly, Bella gave him her back. "You know you do. I never once said I thought you were physically unattractive."

"No, you haven't," Paul agreed. "I wonder, then, why you don't just ask for what we both obviously want?"

"Because to ask anything of you has strings attached, Paul. Millions of people deny themselves a physical relationship. If they can do it then so can I." Sighing in frustration, Bella wished she had just kept her mouth shut.

Not caring, Paul pressed on. "But why would you want to? Why would you want to lie here, night after night without fulfilling the most basic of needs?"

"Because sex to me isn't just some physical need. There is more to it than just getting off." Or so her mind still sometimes whispered.

"And you know this how?" Paul asked, his frustration quickly mounting when his wife refused to answer. "Come on, Bella; tell me you're smarter than that? After all, sex is just sex."

"No it is not! To me, there is a difference between having sex and making love. We don't love each other; therefore, there will be no sex between us."

"Even your argument is flawed. Your body wants sex, whether or not you admit that to yourself. The 'love' is just a misplaced psychological manifestation of emotions."

"Emotions that are needed to have sex! If I just wanted to do that, I'd go out to a bar and find an attractive guy to help me out."

"Bullshit! My wife is too much of a prude to ask some random stranger to fuck her senseless." Getting out of the bed, Paul stormed to the door with no thought as to where he was going other than to get away from his wife.

"I knew this was a tragic mistake," Bella whispered to herself, halting Paul's movement.

"Tragic? You think two people having sex is tragic? Or is it just the idea that you're having sex with an animal and not a dead person that seems tragic to you?" Paul felt his blood run cold once the words left. He knew for a fact that the being a wolf didn't bother her. What bothered him, though, was the fact that he didn't know if she still mourned for the leech.

Bitterly, Bella laughed, the tears of sorrow turning into anger. "You already said what we did wasn't so much sex as it is vulgar acts of joining."

"And you act like the shy maiden protecting her virtue! Whatever you want to call it—sex, making love, intercourse, or hard-core fucking – we've already been down that road! I popped your cherry months ago, on our wedding night. You were there; don't tell me you've forgotten the many ways you begged for different positions and orgasms and how I delivered each and every one to your screaming delight."

"Only because of the imprint! You said I was hostage here until we had sex and I thought I could handle it, knowing that at least you didn't get to have sex. But then we had to get married and it no longer mattered. According to the world we were a couple and I thought once again that if I slept with you, I'd have some breathing room. Had I known you were going to pull the imprint card, I never would've done it in the first place."

"So in your twisted little head, you feel that I raped you even though you said yes? I got news for you, squab: If I was going to rape anyone, it sure as hell wouldn't have been you," Paul spat bitterly, pissed off beyond reason.

"Who should I blame, Paul? Was it my fault you arrived in that field ten seconds too early? Any later and I would've been dead and neither of us would be fucking each other nearly every night so our souls can be happy!" Gasping, Bella covered her mouth in shock. She didn't curse, not where anyone could hear and certainly not in a conversation with another person. However, her free-lanced-sailor-mouthed husband hadn't noticed.

"You're mad because I didn't let you die? Shit, squab, Sam tried to break my jaw when I suggested you should've after diving head first off the fucking cliff. Sorry, but I can't help you in that department."

"At least it would've been by my choice! Everything I do, or say, or act is controlled by a wolf. I can't have normal sex because the wolf wants it kinky. I can't leave this place because the wolf shrivels up and takes me along with it. I can't even look at you in the dark without being called out for my own private feelings!"

"That's right, squab," Paul growled, slowly advancing back towards the bed. "You can't do anything because of the wolf and your soul loves it. I can feel it, right here in my chest, when you think about leaving and the tightening of the chords tell me that you are all too happy not to have to leave. During the day, you don't want people to know that you love looking at me, so you try to sneak it by at night, when it's just us and my wolf fucking coos in delight."

Raising his knees up on the mattress, he fell to all fours, still approaching his prey. "As for the normal sex, I've already told you. What we do is normal for us. You wouldn't be able to get off if I lovingly fucked you gently, whispering words of affection into your ear and asking what position you'd like to have next."

Baring his teeth, he struck quickly to nip at her ear, relishing in the choked moan his imprint made at the gesture. "You love it when I'm rough, stripping your clothes from your body, so quickly that you don't even know what's happening until you feel me in you somewhere. And you can blame me for that all you want, little squab, but I'll be damned if I'm going to apologize for making you feel good."

Bella didn't struggle as her husband went on to prove his words, her mind languid towards the complexities and her body frenzied when Paul sucked, teased and demanded her to obey him. If she wept at all during the night of rough sex, it was only in pleasure. The wolf that owned her knew how to make her believe that this was right.

* * *

><p><em>Six months later…<em>

"Alright, geez, what crawled up your ass?... Is he okay?... No. What did the doctor say?... Yeah, put him on the phone…"

Staring blankly at his co-worker, Paul wondered what had the man sounding enraged the first minute and then completely loving the next. Finishing his lunch, he tried to listen in, waiting until Dave was finished with his call before talking.

"What was that about?" Paul asked when the man had dropped his phone onto the table, sagging back in his chair with a defeated wilt.

"Ah, that was the missus. She was being overly bitchy, but then she told me our son got hurt at school today and had to go to the hospital for a broken arm."

"You sounded pretty ticked at her," Paul hinted, nodding towards the phone. "You guys don't get along?"

Life with Bella was always new and interesting. She had been distant in the beginning, fighting until the chords became too taut and then she'd freely turn to Paul to ask for her relief. Sometimes he thought he'd been the one stretched too taut and would seek her out, but in the end it was always her who begged for more and both the man and wolf indulged. Maybe Dave had a similar relationship with his wife?

"What?" His co-worker asked, breaking Paul's thought. "No, we're fine. We may get on each other's nerves, but it's not outrageous. Besides, she's given the best gift anyone ever could've: a son." Dave looked beyond thrilled when he spoke of his child. He even pulled out a stack of photos from his wallet to show Paul.

"Don't you have a wife," Dave finally asked, shuffling the photos away.

"Yeah," Paul answered, wondering about his own child yet to be born.

"You got kids?"

Paul frowned at the inquiring man, not up to talking about personal life, but Dave misinterpreted the look.

"She doesn't want any, huh? It's okay; you guys are still young. Give it a few years and she'll be ready."

"It's not that. We actually have one on the way."

"Yeah?" Dave asked excitedly. "That's great. I didn't think I'd like being a dad as much as I do. There's just something about holding your kid for the first time that gets you right here." With a hard pound, the gruff man touched his fist over his heart. "I may not love my wife every second of every day, but I give thanks all the time that she stuck it out with me and gave me a son. That's something I can never repay her for."

The end of lunch was signaled by a harsh bell and the workers in the trailer stood up quickly to get back to work. As Paul threw away his trash, he wondered if that was the solution. Bella did give a lot of herself to Paul and now she was going to make him a dad.

The world crashed down on him as he realized that even though he didn't want the imprint and never would've chosen her as an ideal wife, she was. Bella catered to his dark moods, never insisting on talking incessantly to fill the silence, nor did she demand materialistic things.

When their couch had finally fallen apart, literally, she had found a replacement in the ads, asking if he would drive her out to have a look. Paul had bitched the whole way, saying that they could live without a couch. Calmly she had agreed, but since they were already half way there, could they at least look?

They arrived at the address, an upper class house built in the middle of nowhere half way between Forks and Port Angeles. A sleek looking Lexus was parked next to an equally extravagant looking Audi. Pulling into the driveway, Paul parked as soon as his tailgate was clear of the road, not wanting to encroach upon vehicles that probably cost more than he was worth.

Bella got out quietly, noting the small moving van that had been driven across the front yard and sat haphazardly in conjunction with the front door. A lot of furniture was on the grass, boxes, bags and trunks holding more belongings as well. Bella couldn't figure out why the owners hadn't loaded the stuff into the truck unless they were still deciding what to take. Her eyes zeroed in on a couch that had been described in the advertisement.

Paul saw the couch too and whistled softly in appreciation. Like the vehicles, this couch was extravagant. Somewhere between midnight and navy blue, he could smell the expensive leather casing from fifty feet away.

"Bella," Paul hissed, watching his imprint make her way through the yard, attempting to reach the front door. "Come on! We've seen it and clearly we don't have this type of money! What were you thinking?"

Holding up a finger, Bella kept her back to Paul, intent on at least speaking to the owner. Maybe the ad had been a misprint. The dual front door swung widely before Bella was even there, a portly middle aged man hauling a china cabinet with him.

Bella froze in her tracks, waiting to be noticed, not hearing an upper story window being opened.

"Where the fuck are you going with that, Kevin?" An overloaded silicone tramp hollered.

"Shut the fuck up, Lacey. You got what you wanted, the rest is mine!" The man hollered right back before seeing Bella's surprised form.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"I…uhh...I called about the ad you placed in the paper?" Bella asked hesitantly. When the man failed to say anything, she continued, "I called about a couch you listed for sale. The ad said it was a hundred dollars and…" trailing off, Bella looked over her shoulder at the majestic piece of blue leather, the man's eyes following her gaze.

"Shit! Was that today? I'm sorry, I had almost forgotten about that. Come on, let me show you." Dropping the cabinet, the man trotted down the stairs, not at all concerned as the discarded shelving wobbled uncertainly on the steps.

As the man approached the couch, Bella stood rooted to where she was. The silicone bitch was still watching.

"Right," Kevin said, standing next to the couch. "A hundred bucks and she's yours. Court ruling gave me most of the furniture and while I don't really want the memories, it amuses the shit out of me to watch my ex-bitch-wife foam at the mouth as I sell this shit cheap. She seemed to think I'd just let her have it; as if."

Expectantly, the man waited for Bella to produce the cash and leave. He had a lot more to clear out and other people had voiced an interest in buying the high quality belongings at dirt cheap prices. Whatever Kevin didn't want and the stuff that hadn't sold in the next two hours would become lawn ornaments when he demolished them before leaving.

"Who the hell is that, Kevin? Is that the tramp you've been fucking?"

Spinning around, Kevin turned beat red as he hollered skywards again. "Put a fucking sock in it, you dumb bitch! I'm not the whore that was caught fucking the pool boy on our vacation; twice!"

"I can't believe you! You're divorcing me for that little tramp? What kind of idiot do you take me for, Kevin? You aren't stupid enough to sell our five thousand dollar couch in some pity charade." Pointing at the still frozen Bella, Lacey couldn't stop screaming. "You're going to give that tramp all of our shit? I'll show you!"

A small night table came flying out of the window within seconds, directed straight at where Bella was standing, sending Paul moving. Sweeping her away and curling around her back, both of them could hear the thunderous crash from the table, small chunks of wood pelting Paul's back and Bella's legs in a shower of destruction.

"You psychotic cunt! Are you daft?" Kevin yelled at Lacey, hurrying over to the couple. "I am so sorry about that. I knew she was loose in the head and in the bed but I didn't think she'd try to kill anyone. Are you okay?"

Fearful that Paul and Bella might call the cops and try to sue his home owners insurance, Kevin decided to sweeten the deal.

"Look," he cajoled to a shaking Bella and glowering Paul. "I'll give you the couch for fifty bucks and add the coffee table as well."

Paul was half a step away from thrashing both the man and his crazy-ass ex whatever. Bella, however, finally stepped up and spoke.

"Okay," she agreed peacefully, hoping Paul was okay with the deal. Turning to look at him, her eyes pleaded for him to stay silent and just hand over the money which he did.

Fifteen minutes later, they had a new couch and coffee table, finally owning something neither could have afforded otherwise; Paul's only comment entailing how he would have to remove the front door to make the shit fit through.

* * *

><p>"Bella?" Paul questioned as he came home late that winter evening, still thinking about the conversation of children. He had meant to be home sooner, but an unexpected cold front had iced the roads and he was forced to drive exceptionally slow. He couldn't afford to be nonchalant and drive his normal reckless fashion style.<p>

Silence greeted his question and he sighed, trudging into the kitchen to drop his lunch box before making his way into the living room. The work boots were quickly kicked off but still no sign of his wife. He could hear her though and knew exactly where she was in the house.

The second bedroom had been converted. Initially, Paul had just intended to leave it as "her" bedroom. They could each have their own rooms and see each other on a minimal basis.

Of course, the damage had already been done. Bella was pregnant and certainly couldn't get any more so. Both needed the contact and Paul saw no reason to deny them the physical gratification required of the imprint. Bella slept with him and he let her decorate the other room for their child. It was a sobering –if not slightly heart-warming—thought.

"Bella?" he questioned again, coming to rest in the door frame of their child's room. She was standing on the far side of the room, placing wall stickers up, her arms stretched above her head to reach the area.

Not even giving him a greeting, she simply answered, "Dinner will be ready in about fifteen minutes. I set the timer and it hasn't gone off yet. Give me about five after you hear it and you can eat."

"Will you join me?"

The request was quiet and undemanding. Bella nearly dropped the wall-art she was holding at hearing such an endearing request from Paul.

"Okay," she whispered, still not turning around to meet his gaze. She waited, listening for his retreating footsteps that never came. Three minutes later, when she finally turned around, he was gone.

"This is good," Paul commented twenty minutes later at the dinner table. Scooping up another large helping of the macaroni-cheese-chicken casserole he nodded his pleasure to Bella's inquiring face.

Bella only nodded, looking back down at her plate. She wasn't about to make light conversation with Paul and dinner carried on in silence.

Standing up to take the dishes into the adjoining kitchen, Bella was once again shocked when Paul stopped her.

"Let me," he murmured, taking her plate from shaking hands. When he had disappeared into the other room, she sat down heavily. Paul found her, head resting on the table and hands rubbing her protruding stomach.

"You okay?"

Startled, Bella sat up. "Yeah, I'm okay; just tired." Resting her head back on the table, she wasn't immensely surprised when Paul picked her up.

Bella still wasn't surprised when they had sex that night. It was different than before: gentle, longer and drawn out. Before her eyes closed in sleep, she could have sworn she heard Paul mutter impossible words.

"We just might be able to make this work," he whispered, kissing her forehead tenderly. That night was the first of many he slept with his arms around her.

Paul was gone by the time Bella awoke the next morning. She wasn't surprised, that was his way.

* * *

><p><em>Two years later…<em>

"Anthony, come on honey. Let's go get a snack," Bella called softly to the child playing at the stream's edge. At two years of age, he was a precocious child, both easily angered and humored within the same moment. He looked nothing like Bella; she couldn't see any part of her within the mini replica of her husband. Glancing at her watch once again, Bella knew she had about twenty minutes to complete her task; possibly even less if Paul showed up early as he usually did when something concerned his son.

Paul had ignored her the first six months of pregnancy except for the nightly sex sessions. Her mind screamed it was wrong, all wrong and deceitful, but her body said otherwise. There were no words spoken, just moans, sighs and skin on skin contact. Immediately afterwards he would pull back, panting while she attempted to dream it all away: the euphoria, the wanting, the lack of love and the abundance of sexual gratification.

Nobody had ever asked and Bella never told anyone. Despite being left in the disastrous wake Edward had created for her, she still loved him. Through her pregnancy and beyond, she had still clung to the hope that he'd reappear; come back and save her from this hellish nightmare.

He never came back, but she still held hope, gifting her son with his middle name. Had she delivered a girl she would've named her Antonia. When it came time to sign the birth certificate, Bella had written the name down before signing her own and shoving the document to Paul who had been quietly lurking in her room most of the time. She doubted he noticed, nor cared what their child's name was when Paul picked up the pen to add his name. At least he hadn't denied that he was the father.

Bella was far from content as she took care of her infant son. Paul at least provided the needed necessities required to raise a child, never complaining when Bella left notes for him to pick up diapers or formula. He didn't even comment when Bella was unable to find another imprint to take them for checkups and Paul would take off early from work to drive, her truck having finally wheezed its last time and there not being enough money to buy a new one.

The birth of Anthony Lahote had changed much between the couple and Bella wanted answers.

As she hurried towards the house, toting little Anthony with her, Bella wondered if Paul would be surprised for once in his life. Nothing else had startled him, why should today be any different?


	9. Tears in Heaven

_**Tears In Heaven**_

* * *

><p>Bella felt trapped.<p>

Had she meant to do this? Was this what her life had finally come too? It didn't seem to matter, thinking was not required. Like so much else in her life, this was one more aspect she had no choice or control over. Someone else was making those decisions. What exactly was _this_, anymore?

Lights, sounds, pleading, none of it made sense to Bella as she floated in blackness. Something warm fell on her…a hand?

She wasn't thinking, but the thoughts floated anyways.

No mane, no tail, no fur but a tawny goldenness that constantly haunted her dreams. The piercing gaze of a creature that topped any and all food chains but one she never feared. Gold had always represented wealth and power; the only exception being that this gold had brought her comfort as well.

Until the gold vanished.

No, it was something else, wetter, warmer than the touches she was used to. It felt nice…this wasn't supposed to be nice.

A simple blink and he was gone, cruelly torn from her life never to be seen or heard from again. From a world of wonder and contentment, Destiny erased every connection she ever had of the graceful feline like figure and replaced it with a new creature equivocally built.

The memories and dreams of a new fierce predator took over. A huge magnificent beast of equal ferocity as the lion, but more intimidating to her.

Someone was screaming…who was making that sound? There was more yelling, angry demands and commands; Bella couldn't piece together the sounds to words.

A darkened, silver hued wolf.

Lustrous and deceiving in appearance but with a heart that attempted to enclose her in vain. The wolf, wrapping its essence around her; a thick pulsating fur blanket of a torturous life.

Bella wanted to struggle, she wanted to pull away and crawl back into the silence of darkness.

She saw herself as the lamb, the innocent foal that couldn't walk or defend herself but was unafraid of those that could hurt her. A lion with a lamb or a wolf with a lamb; neither scenario could be ideal. Neither had ever set out to physically hurt her and both had succeeded in doing just that.

The screaming changed…louder still and not at all human sounding. Oh god, was that the blackness? Did the peace of nothingness hold demons?

Black was never a color but now it was location, invading her space and lifting to embrace in a welcoming gesture. A million thoughts of a lifetime that had been, could be and never would, drifted by as wisps. Neither cold nor hot; just there.

No pain. No pleasure. No wanting or needing. Emotions were too much and no longer existed. Bella liked it here…

_Four years after the marriage…_

Standing in front of the polished mirror, Bella smiled as she brushed her hair, the glossy sleekness falling nearly to her waist. She was free to leave it loose, no longer concerned about having to keep it carefully braided and pinned to prevent unnecessary grabbing.

Her smile dropped instantly when _he_ spoke unexpectedly; a voice she swore she would never have to listen to again.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Paul's voice mocked condescendingly. Two years had passed since her departure from Washington and never would she have expected him to show up here of all places.

Bella wasn't scared of him anymore. Her heart, soul, whatever that throbbing piece of emotion in her chest was called, moved slow and sluggishly with his sudden appearance.

"Hello, Paul," she greeted blandly, eyeing him through the reflection of the mirror. Setting the brush on the counter, she allowed her gaze to sweep over him.

He was still magnificent to look at even dressed in bare-threaded clothing that didn't fit properly. His hair was slightly longer than she had ever seen it. Not enough to be called long, but definitely shaggy, brushing haphazardly against his shirt collar.

"So nice of you to stick around after destroying a whole tribe," Paul commented, causing Bella to physically flinch as the memories she had fought for so long to forget began to surface.

"Boy, you picked a hell of a time to flee the Rez," he continued. "Did Jake or Sam tell you what happened after I came home and found you?"

"A little," she hedged. She had been told enough and didn't need Paul to tell her anymore of the reality versus the nightmares that had plagued her for months and driven her to seek asylum in an institution across the country.

"I guess it really was for the best. Had you stayed, Leah definitely would've killed you. Even if she hadn't, Emily or Kim might've done it. In the end, you really did manage to piss off the whole tribe."

Her mouth opened to protest his cruelty, but no words came out.

Abruptly, Paul changed his tactic, wanting her to hurt. Approaching closer, he stood behind her. Not touching her; he'd never touch her again. "Look in the mirror, Bella. You will always look like this, no matter how much you wish otherwise. One of the forsaken," Paul hissed in her ear, not a touch of sympathy, love or compassion.

"And what's wrong with that?" she whispered, the first tremble of fear showing. "To live the immortal dream of being young forever?"

He leaned closely, his hot breath sweeping over her neck. It didn't cause the shivers it normally would. Now it felt threatening; a wolf's last chuckle before devouring the helpless rabbit. "You can live your fantasy, Bella, I can't stop you."

Bella tried to swallow, her mouth suddenly dry. "I know you can't, Paul. I broke the imprint and allowed you your freedom."

"Really?" He sneered, pacing away from her before turning abruptly back towards the figure in the mirror. "How benevolent of you, to allow me _my _freedom."

Paul's distance gave Bella the courage she needed to lash back. They were both free! How dare he accuse her of granting them both a pardon?

"I didn't ask for this! How can you blame me, when you yourself hated it just as much as I do?" She seethed, anxious for him to be gone.

The wolf actually looked surprised. He had changed, Bella recognized that. The arrogance he had carried for so long had been eroded away, leaving a man who wore an expression Bella once had, years ago in Forks: a look of hopelessness.

"I don't hate you, Bella, I never have," Paul said, making Bella want to scoff. "Until that day, this was a blessing; a reprieve that made this worthwhile. All of the pain, heartache and misunderstanding meant nothing because at the end of the tunnel, I was supposed to have my perfect mate, my soul-mate, you!"

Bella was not impressed. "Only because you weren't given a choice! If you hadn't imprinted on me, you wouldn't have given me the time of day and you know it."

"You're right, I wouldn't have," Paul agreed. "But something bigger than both of us thought we were meant to be together. I thought you, of all people, would understand something like that."

"And maybe it would've worked, Paul, but you kept pushing and taking, never once showing anything but lust and remorse for being stuck with me. You had me and didn't do anything to make it work. Our imprint wasn't like Sam and Emily, who always held hands and shared smiles. It wasn't like Jared and Kim, who radiated happiness when in the presence of each other."

"Don't," he roared, his patience spent. "Don't fucking compare us to anyone else. I may have been harsh and not given you the adoration and hugs you needed, but you never once fought for it. Sam, Jake, Jared, Quil, everyone always took me aside, telling me how I treated you like shit and could I lay the fuck off and give this thing a chance to do whatever it was supposed to. But you never fucking asked how I felt about it, did you?"

"All the time!" Bella shrieked, her heart racing furiously. "I asked you repeatedly to love me; to give me a chance to adjust and make our relationship work; to show me that I meant something to you more than a blissful whore."

"Yeah," Paul threw back sarcastically. "I got that message loud and clear when you'd beg for me to let you come."

Shamefully, Bella lowered her eyes. "I never instigated any of our encounters with my own free will," she mumbled, hating that time of her life. "It was always the stupid imprint, pulling us together."

"You wanted to, though. So fucking bad I could taste it and I figured why the hell not? We were already so goddamn miserable the least we could get out of this arrangement was some hard core fucking and release."

Bella told herself she should've known. The only reason Paul was here now was to try to humiliate her one more time for enjoying what she had always known was wrong.

"Whatever we had in the past is just that. As you can see, I'm not the same, fragile child I was while living in Washington. I grew up and away from you. You lied to keep me there and I had to use any means I could to get away." In an uncharacteristic move, Bella looked at Paul directly, gloating. "I won and I don't need you anymore."

"You're half right, Bella, you don't need me anymore, but not because you feel like you grew up," Paul mocked in a sing song tone.

"You're just angry that I was able to figure out how to get over the side-effects of imprinting, Paul! I no longer need you around, my body doesn't hurt when we're separated and I have moved on."

Pointedly, Bella stared at the man she had once called husband. As far as she was concerned they no longer had any reason to communicate and never would. Once he left again, she would close that door, never to reopen.

Ignoring her look of determination, Paul continued. He hadn't traveled across the damn country for only two minutes of his imprint's time. "And that doesn't strike you as odd? I wanted out of the imprint more than anyone and yet, I stayed because I had no choice; the same as you. Don't you even want to know what changed?"

Bella shook her head. "No, I don't. Now please, leave before I call Edward and have you forcibly removed. He's going to be livid when he finds out you were here."

"He might," Paul remarked casually. "But that'll be for Black to explain."

"Jacob? I don't understand," Bella asked in surprise. She hadn't seen her best friend since that fateful day she had left the Rez. Did he even consider her a friend anymore? He hadn't tried to contact her. "What does he have to do with you being here?"

"That's right, I forgot; you aren't one of the monsters yet. You didn't hear the scuffle from below, did you squab?" Paul threateningly questioned. "It appears not all of your dead friends like you very much. The dead blonde seems to think I had every right to come up here and talk to you."

"Rosalie?" Bella asked, trying not to wince. Out of all of the Cullens, she had been the most upset. Bella still didn't know if she had been entirely forgiven despite Edward's assurances.

"Yeah, I guess that's her name," Paul answered, not giving a shit what they called themselves. A leech was a leech. "She was all for letting me speak to you after Jacob had a few words about your removal. Not even our marriage ceremony would've allowed you to remain on tribal lands and the vamp felt I deserved a chance to chat it up with my wife."

"I was not removed, Bella huffed indignantly. "I left on my own volition."

"I never pegged you as a cheater, little bird," Paul said, ignoring her protests and still referring to her as his wife. "I don't know if I can ever forgive you for that indiscretion."

"There is nothing to forgive and I am not an adulteress. We are no longer married," Bella taunted, holding up her left hand. The gold band was long gone; Bella could care less what had happened to it. In its place was a sparkling diamond engagement ring.

"Funny, I don't remember signing any goddamn divorce papers," Paul snarled back, unable to look away from her hand. "In fact, your name hasn't been attached to anything I've signed all this time."

Bella dropped her hand back to her side, watching as Paul finally looked up to see her again. "What do you think I did all those days you were away from the house? Do you think I sat there planning our meals and watching day time TV?"

Shrugging, Paul didn't really care. He wasn't here to bring her home. Even if they both wanted that, they could never return as a couple to La Push.

"Do you ever wonder what happened to Sam?" Paul asked, watching as the woman in front of him shifted nervously.

_Good! The bitch had no right to feel comfortable about anything ever again!_

"No. Should I be?" Bella asked, her head spinning over the constantly changing topics and attitudes Paul was throwing at her.

"I suppose not. After all, why would you care as to why he was required to leave his lands approximately one week after you did?"

"I'm sure he had good reason to-" Bella faltered and cowered as Paul shot-up in his seat, rage marring his face.

"He didn't have a fucking choice in the matter! After an imprint managed to commit the greatest of sins, the Elders banished him! Banished him from his fucking home, his life, his people…if Emily wasn't Makah and able to return with Sam to those lands, they would've been homeless!"

Shrinking into herself, Bella realized that she had no protection against Paul right then. The imprint was gone and he was mad. "I don't understand," she finally whimpered, hoping he'd calm down long enough for Edward to return.

Tasting the fear, Paul's rage bled away, leaving an ugly anger; an emotion not as volatile but equally destructive.

"You didn't let me finish my story, little bird. Have a seat and let me tell you exactly what happened after you were removed from La Push." Patting the bed, he sat down, waiting for her to join him. He could see her eyeing the door, hoping to make a quick getaway, but that wasn't about to happen. Not until Paul was finished.

It took awhile, but eventually Bella sat on the other side of mattress, twisting her hands in discomfort. She was going to have to listen to him until someone else came up to the room to remove Paul.

Leaning back, his hands supporting his weight from behind, Paul closed his eyes and started to talk. "I've seen and done a million things in my short lifespan, but never will I forget how I felt that day. I figured you'd be a little moody; you usually are when I first entered the house. There wasn't any scent to alert me of a problem; buying that Hepa air-filter was a fucking stroke of genius."

Lurching up, Paul clapped his hands slowly, a gesture indicating anything but appreciation, each palm against palm crack mimicking –in Bella's mind—the sound of gun shots.

"I walked in, expecting to hear the TV playing one of those stupid cooking shows, or hear that obnoxious droning of one of your audio books. It was so quiet, though and I remember chuckling to myself thinking, gosh if I didn't know better, I'd say everyone was dead. That's some fucking irony right there, huh, little squab?"

"I heard two heartbeats and while both of them sounded off, it didn't fully register. I still checked in the kitchen and our room first, positive I'd find you in one of those two rooms. For some strange reason, when I saw the nursery door closed, I knew you guys were taking a nap. What other reason would the door be closed than you might be worried I'd come barging in and wake up little Anthony? But that damn air-filter, it sounded too loud to me, kinda like an old air-raid siren."

"I don't even know if I forgot, or had just pushed aside the information, but it all hit me real fast. Not only had I taken pains a few months previous to oil the inner doors so they wouldn't squeak, but I was a werewolf. Wax my ass and feed me kibble if I couldn't enter a room quiet enough not to disturb a human!"

Paul was not smiling as he talked, feeling the burn begin underneath his skin as he relieved that day over and over. At work, at home, out in the fucking forest as a wolf, Paul could not forget and he wanted to.

"I swung that door open gently and just stared as the heartbeats became more defined. I had been hearing it all along, I just hadn't bothered to realize that while not only was the sound off, but so was the tempo. Your second fucking stroke of genius and my stupidity was using the bear."

Bella missed whatever else Paul was saying as she thought back to her impromptu party. She hadn't wanted to go, only doing so when Jake had come forth and asked if she'd mind doing it; not for herself, but for the pack-family benefit.

"_Aww, Bella, look how cute it is," Kim had gushed as she held up the newly unwrapped baby shower gift. "Not only can you put a warm bottle inside for your baby to snuggle next to for comfort, you can also turn on the music box. It replicates the sounds of a heart so the baby feels safe."_

"I struggled for a bit, but you won out as my first priority," Paul raged, drawing Bella's attention back to the present. "I'd like to say it was because there wasn't a damn thing I could do for the dead baby, but your heart was still beating on its own. I'd like to say that, but we both know it was because of the imprint." Paul's voice trailed off as he struggled with the all encompassing concept that he truly never had free-will from the moment he had phased.

"I wanted to help my child; to let the bitch who was selfish enough to take away an innocent's life, wallow in shame and agony before dying." His eyes narrowed as he stared at Bella. "You couldn't even let me have that."

"A cut, a gash, hell even a deep laceration and my wolf saliva would have helped the skin mend faster. I'm guessing you didn't know that either?"

Bella shook her head mutely; too afraid to tell Paul he was wrong. She hadn't realized it until then, but Paul would not have helped her due to the imprint; it been severed the moment Anthony had taken his last breath.

Paul didn't notice as he continued to speak, his eyes hollow, remembering a past they both needed to forget. "It wouldn't have mattered if you had or not, I guess. I mean, maybe you wouldn't have attempted suicide the old fashion way by slitting your wrists and instead tried something more creative like you did for the kid, swallowing some pills or trying to hang yourself from a curtain rod."

Silence filled the room as they both remembered different things from the same scene.

Bella had studied the tribe's histories, trying to find her way out from a life she didn't want. Her husband had never helped her, always mocking that it was pointless, but Bella had continued returning over and over to the fact that it was all about bloodlines.

Paul felt that day as if he was right there; his guilt for trying as best as he could to make things work and it not being enough for her. Nobody knew how to help either of them and it wouldn't have mattered. Paul might have been able to overlook his disgust for his imprint and even learned to live somewhat peacefully with her, but the squab had always wanted more.

"Do you feel any remorse at all, or is it that now you've gotten fucked by your freak, everything is okay?" Paul asked, breaking the silence.

Fed up with being forced to relive what she had so carefully concealed, Bella wanted to hurt Paul as much as his words had done so time and time again."You can't talk to me like that anymore! I paid my dues, sucking you off and letting you ram yourself into me every which way until it didn't matter anymore!"

"He was our son!" Paul roared, unable to believe she could just act as though nothing had happened.

"No, he was yours. The need to carry on your bloodline was forced upon me. I may have agreed to the sex, but I didn't agree to that," Bella poorly explained, trying not to sob.

Having no leniency for her, Paul's words continued to inflict pain. "You killed an innocent child. What, was that your proactive sin for when you finally found your vamp-tramp family? An initiation test to help you get into the dead-ringer's club?

"You never understood then and I certainly don't expect you to understand me now!" Bella choked out, the tears running freely now; just like they had when she was forced to live with Paul. "Go home, Paul, and leave me alone. I owe you nothing."

"You're such a bitch, did you know that? Even before you knew we were wolves, you always told Jacob how sweet the Cullens were; how the father was some type of fucking humanitarian. Yet, here you are, still human and hoping to become one of them and you can't even be humane and give me closure."

"Anthony was never my son, Paul. Every feature, very mannerism, even his speech was a mimicry of yours. The elders said we were soul mates, but Sam was closer to the truth than anyone realized. Imprinting was about building more of you; a perverse idiosyncrasy of Darwin's survival of the fittest." Every word was true and every word lashed at Bella like a whip. Anthony had been his father's child and Bella knew that even if the child didn't phase in his lifetime, he would continue to spread the vileness that companioned being a wolf: Imprinting.

"If that was true, Anthony would still be alive!" Paul hissed. Survival of the fittest or not, a fucking toddler could not survive harm from its parent. She hadn't helped Paul survive their imprint, but this woman -who had been called a mother- had knowingly taken away the chance for Paul to protect his son.

Bella felt detached from herself. "Consider it a flaw in the system. In order to build stronger offspring, the chords had to back off in between children. A weakened mother wouldn't produce healthy children. Our souls detached shortly after Anthony's birth."

Paul felt the trickle of coldness inch up his spine; her words were correct. The chords had released and in that time span the wolf had fallen silent. It hadn't been the wolf gene that had made Paul begin to love his wife; it had been the human.

"I stood in that room and placed our child in his crib for his afternoon nap, knowing that the bottle I gave him was filled with water hemlock. I was scared, so damn scared that a wolf would be nearby and realize what was going on, but I didn't have any more time. I didn't know that our chords had temporarily released, but they were starting to tingle again, telling me that I had been free, but soon would lose that," Bella spoke dispassionately, meeting Paul's own look of despair.

"I didn't want to be your whore anymore, Paul. I didn't care that you could make my body feel good; you made my mind feel worthless and ashamed. I loved my son, make no mistake of that, but I would not subjugate him to the horrors you inflicted on me. And as I watched him die, it broke my mind, body and soul."

Turning away from Paul she cried. "I knew what I had just done and I snapped. My freedom, the thing I wanted most had driven me to sacrifice another person, my own child. I grabbed a knife from the kitchen, watching and waiting and praying that no one would come over to check on us. I wanted to stab myself in the neck, have my life over with quickly because the second Anthony died was the second I realized the price for freedom was too much." Stumbling over her words, Bella knew she wouldn't be able to explain all of it to the man before her.

How she had tried to push the blade into her throat, but couldn't gather the courage to apply enough pressure. How she had watched her convulsing child die painfully, unable to turn back the clock and stop even if she wanted to. The relief of numbness she felt once she had moved the knife to her wrists, slicing easily and deeply through the skin before crumpling to the ground in shock.

Speaking carefully and controlled, Paul needed to hear all of it. "You named our child after your boyfriend. I never once stopped you from daydreaming about living with the bloodsucker. Sometimes you'd still call his name out lovingly after we spent an exceptionally hard night together, never once bothering to ask me to back off when you pleaded with me to make your body come. How do you think that made me feel, knowing I was okay with letting you carry on with your charade, but hoping you'd at least man the fuck up enough to speak about it?"

Despite all she had said, Paul still didn't understand. In the coldest voice she could muster, she told him the last thing Paul would have expected. "None of that mattered, Paul. Not then and not now because if given the choice, I'd do it over."

"You heartless bitch," Paul whispered savagely. "You used me, striking when the chords were less effective for protection. If the bonding had been in full force, I would've gotten home sooner or maybe not have even gone, feeling your unease."

"Yes," Bella screamed shrilly. "It was me, a lousy stupid human that figured out how to break the imprint. The entire time the wolves said it couldn't be done; the bond was permanent but I did it and I got away thanks to your timely arrival," she spat at Paul's feet, glad to be rid of him.

Paul lunged before Bella had time to register his movement, his fingers lifting up the woman to dangle helplessly in front of him, clawing to be released.

'At what cost, though? You think the death of a child, my child, any child was worth your freedom?" Paul asked, watching the blood bloom in her cheeks, turning darker and darker.

'I hope your freedom was worth it, squab," Paul spat back, choking the life out of her slowly and methodically. "Whatever you thought you had will be gone. Just like you killed my son, I'm going to fucking kill you now."

Bella met the eyes of her killer, filled with pain for their deceased child and inhumanity for the woman who had taken the life. She had made peace with herself for her actions; months of therapy and group sessions telling her she was still at fault, but not alone. Carlisle had found her by chance in a medical journal of psychiatry; another case study of a young woman who had become detached from reality and unable to discern fact from fiction, claiming a werewolf had hurt her and infected her with his spawn.

Using the wealth and power the Cullens always had, they had been able to remove her from the hospital and procure the necessary documentation to show she had killed herself while being transferred, too afraid of her psychological manifestation of a wolf finding her.

Bella didn't want to think about wolves in her last few minutes of life. She was having trouble focusing, her vision tunneling as objects became harder to focus on. She wasn't aware of her body fighting the hand holding her hostage only the feel of them slipping away as her lungs burned in agony.

Paul's nose twitched milliseconds before he felt the blow, the bone in his arm snapping and causing him to drop her; the body thumping hard to the floor.

"What the hell are you doing?" Rosalie seethed, ready to deliver a punch as the wolf turned on her. Jacob and Edward were both in the doorway, the vampire struggling to get in to Bella.

"Let go of me, Black! This is all your fault," Edward yelled, his eyes never leaving where Bella laid motionless.

"I can't do that, Cullen," Jacob answered, his arms tightening. "Bella is hurt and the more of us in there, the more likely she is to be even more hurt. Let your vamp corral Paul and then I'll let you in."

"Do you know what you've done?" Rosalie screeched at the wolf. "I defended you to let you talk to her and now this?"

Paul took a step away, catching his reflection in the mirror. This wasn't who he was, a man bent on extracting revenge for a crime he could in no way have prevented but was still responsible for.

"Edward, get your ass over here now. She isn't breathing," Rosalie screeched dropping to her knees to roll Bella over on her back.

Jacob lost his grip, the realization that Bella wasn't breathing enough of a distraction for Edward to break away. The vampire wanted to kill the ragged wolf who had just tried to kill the love of his life, but the girl took priority.

Dropping next to Rosalie, Edward trusted his sibling to watch the wolves while he worked quickly and efficiently to breathe life back into Bella's inert form. Tilting her head, he forced air into her lungs, placing one hand over her sternum to help diffuse the pressure of his hand. Had he only used just his fingers, the force required to compress Bella's chest would have pierced her skin.

He didn't need to count out loud, his mind doing it automatically while he watched and listened for her heart. He knew this had been a bad idea but Rosalie stepped in. She knew Bella had been forced to do what she did and it pained all of them but no one more so than Rosalie. She felt Bella at least needed to see Paul face to face one more time with no imprint; to tell the wolf to shove his prick up his ass and be gone forever.

Leaning over, he breathed into her warm mouth, making sure her tongue wasn't obstructing airflow as the precious life giving gas flowed from him into her, her lungs inflating and deflating slowly.

In a way, Edward had hoped Bella would do just that. She'd finally relieve herself of those lingering doubts that sometimes overtook her mind, leaving a lost and fragile looking girl in place of the stunning woman she was. However, he never should've allowed them alone in the room or at the very least, he should have hovered outside of the room.

If Bella died, neither wolf would live.

Edward's sensitive ears heard the thump first, Bella's heart sluggishly restarting as he pumped his hand. Slowing his hand, he gave another lungful of air, relieved when her body took over and started again.

Rosalie was watching the wolves, arguing viciously with Jacob while Paul stood motionless, staring at the mirror.

"No wonder she left his ass. I'm still ready to choke his mangy hide until he turns funny colors," Rosalie said in a low pitched voice, not wanting to disturb Edward's work.

"Do you honestly think I would have let him in here if I thought he was going to kill her, leech?" Jacob asked. "I've known Bella most of my life and would've hurt him myself had I known that was what he was planning."

Turning away from Bella, Edward spoke up, his own thoughts angered. "I thought you could read his head while in the form of a wolf? You can't expect us to believe you had no idea that this would happen."

"Do you have any idea what it's like to lose your child, leech?" Jacob spat out. "Paul was untouchable for months. That day he shifted and destroyed half the side of his house, lunging into the forest and then just gone. Sam had his own problems with the authorities and then the council; he was in no position to order Paul to do anything. When I became Alpha, I was told to bring Paul back to help clean up the mess both of them left."

Pausing to take in a deep breath, Jacob's voice turned from harsh to pained. "It was like he wasn't even there; his wolf had taken over fully but with human memories and…My god," Jacob whispered, bowing his head into his hands, the pain of that time still livid. Looking back up, Jacob had tears in his eyes. "I would have rather severed my own hands and feet than have to have gone through that first hand.

Edward could catch glimpses of what Jacob was talking about and he flinched backwards. He knew exactly what had happened but to witness it telepathically with both the visions and emotions…it was soul altering.

Turning back to his fiancée, Edward picked her up, standing behind Rosalie's protective stance. "I think it's time you left. You have come to say what you wanted to and nothing good has come of it. If you want to keep your memories, so be it, but don't expect Isabella to do the same. She has moved on and away and your presence is only a painful reminder of what never should've happened."

Paul's eyes slid away from the mirror, the idea that this leech could even fathom what pain was, a ridiculous notion.

"Do not contact us ever again. It will be at least a century, if ever, before we attempt to make Forks our home again." As he turned, Bella's shirt shifted, revealing a noticeable bulge Paul had failed to see from the beginning...

"You did fuck her, didn't you, you piece of shit," Paul whispered in pain.

"Shut your filthy fucking mouth, dog," Edward hissed. "It is none of your business what Isabella Swan does.

"She's pregnant?" Jacob asked, a new wave of shock booming through him.

"She was as long as your rabid side kick hasn't damaged her irreparably."

Paul's laughter was maniacal. "Bella doesn't know how to be a mom. Sure she'll take care of the kid, but she'll just as happily dispose of it once she knows you'll give her what she wants."

Jacob audibly gasped at Paul's audacity; Rosalie growling as she leapt the distance to the wounded wolf to slap him across the face, his head following the movement to lessen the impact.

"You have no idea what kind person Bella is, dog!" The blonde vampire snarled.

With his good hand, Paul rubbed over his bruised jaw, flexing the tendons to make sure it, too, wasn't broken. "I know exactly what kind of person she is, blood sucker. I was fucking married to her and if you think she can love anyone but herself you're sorely mistaken."

"Bella knows all there is to know about love," Edward said, wanting to get his Love away from this barbaric man she had been forced to call husband. "She tried to show you and it wasn't enough to keep her tethered to your slavish ways."

"She'll show you what you want to, leech," Paul answered, "but in the end, you'll see I was right and she was wrong. Isabella Swan always has and always will be selfish, regardless of what you say or do."

"Get out of our house so I can tend to her properly. Rose?" Edward motioned, knowing his sister would be twice as angry with the thought that Bella might lose her child. "Make sure they are gone. I'm taking Bella to Carlisle's office. Once they're gone, please call him home; I need to make sure we don't miss anything."

Leaving his bedroom, Edward knew Bella would never feel safe in there again. In a matter of minutes, everything they had worked so hard to overcome would resurface and take more time to heal.

* * *

><p>Paul returned to La Push alone for the time, constantly replaying the events of the last few days. Bella Swan, the tiny girl from the neighboring town of Forks had meant nothing to him in the beginning; being forced to live at his side by a condition that people of the real world dreamed of finding.<p>

He had studied the other wolves, noted the imprinted ones and the ease they had accepted their imprints, everything just clicking into perfection without any type of obvious struggle. Paul wondered if he was correct. He had told Sam imprinting was slavery; being forced to love and care for a woman a wolf might not have otherwise looked twice at. Jared had never noticed Kim until he imprinted and Sam, too, had already been in love with another female when Emily Young happened to cross his path and demolish those feelings in an instant.

Paul had fought against the chords, his own soul angry at his mind for not stopping to look for any good and be led down a path he wanted no part of. The imprint, a ghost of a drug, had tried to manipulate Paul and he almost fell for it. The feeling of ultimate bliss it would have shown him and allowed him to believe even though it was fake.

Jacob had stayed near Bella. Not because he thought she would really choose him above the Cullen but for reasons of closure and acceptance. He loved her; no longer romantically, but equally as strong. Out of all of the failures that had occurred, their friendship was the one thing Jacob refused to accept as a failure. He pleaded with her daily to make her understand and the day before she gave birth, she did. He had never blamed her for any of her choices and welcomed her with open arms, expressing a love more pure than anyone could have shown.

It felt like an eon had passed before Paul ever spoke to her again and he had been right. Bella continued to mourn for many things, never knowing what it really was until the end.

She was pregnant with Edward's child, the short duration of carrying a hybrid fetus taking a toll on her body. Edward had insisted on marrying her before she became too cumbersome to move and they had; Jacob and the rest of the Cullens acting as witnesses in the small ceremony.

The day she went into labor, Bella wept, not knowing how she could cope if her child was another son. Edward had told her he didn't care as long as the baby and mom were healthy. As the first contraction ripped through her, Bella only felt pain, unaware of the measures Carlisle and Edward had to take to save the baby and finally transform her into what she had most wanted: to be a vampire. When Jacob had laid his eyes on the tiny bundle Rosalie nursed while Bella was being transformed, he knew the spirits had blessed him. Bella Swan had always been a part of his life and now, with this miniature version of her in the form of a daughter, she would be.

The every other yearly trips to visit Renee yielded the same results. Her crazy plans, care-free attitude and love of what's-happening-now became almost an illness. Bella's mom never asked what happened between her daughter and the La Push native; she had divorced Charlie early in their marriage and obviously Bella had moved on as well. Twenty-five years passed by before Renee was diagnosed as having full blown Alzheimer's.

Her death came, hard, fast and unexpected. Most people suffered for at least a few years before requiring care and hospitalization; Renee's life was snuffed out faster than an errant wind blowing across a garden candle.

Jacob was the hardest. He never stopped being Bella's friend, always carefree and happy, never stopping to question the bigger picture after she had made her choice. His feeling for Renesmee blossomed and when it became a full-bloom, Edward told Bella in bed one night that it was one of the most beautiful things he had ever mentally read. Relaxing back into her husband's arms, Bella tried not to weep in both happiness for her daughter, and over the fate she had been dealt with her own wolf.

Taha Aki was a legend and as far as legends go, had lived long enough to enjoy a third wife. As with most historical tales, inaccuracies were bound to be present. Bella knew this first hand after severing her imprint, but wondered why she hadn't bothered to explore the stories further.

Whether Bella had known first hand or not, her world would have crumbled regardless.

Carlisle, for all of his hundreds of years of existence had never given up the belief of a god. When the wrath of god befell the Cullens, Bella's choice seemed selfish once again.

"Jake," She asked questioningly as he paused mid-run, panting heavily. Lowering to the ground, he laid his head down and closed his eyes, still breathing heavier than Bella had ever seen him.

"Do you want me to go back and get Renesmee or Carlisle?" Nervously, she grasped the hem of her shirt, a human habit she had never lost; unsure of what needed to be done and wishing Edward had come on the run with them.

Jake whined painfully before shaking his head, his eyes never opening as he continued to lie on the ground in obvious discomfort. The day passed by and Bella never moved, watching and wishing for a sign or improvement.

Night fell before Edward joined them, overanxious at the long delay.

"Love, is everything okay?" He crooned, stopping next to Bella to hug her firmly

"What's wrong with him, Edward?" Bella asked her husband, scared to touch her best friend in case she hurt him. "He suddenly stopped mid-run and just laid down. He's breathing heavy, but won't phase back or answer me."

After examining the large creature to determine what had happened, Edward carried Jacob back to their house, still unable to determine the cause of Jacob's unresponsiveness. Twenty seven hours passed before Renessme's pleading became too much and Edward called Carlisle to join Bella and his daughter at their own home to examine Jacob as well.

With Renesme weeping at Jake's side, Bella stood twisting her hands over and over again while Carlisle and Edward argued.

"Impossible, Carlisle, this is just impossible!" Edward shouted for tenth time in an hour.

"What do you suggest then, Edward?" Carlisle asked in his ever present voice of reason.

"Can you help him, Carlisle?" Bella finally asked. Despite being present for the entire conversation, she hadn't understood much of the ramblings and theories her husband and father-in-law discussed.

Edward hurried over to his wife and daughter, hugging them tightly as Carlisle explained what both male vampires was happening.

"Energy constantly breaks down to its simplest form. There isn't a thing to stop it from happening eventually. Jacob is still a biological, living creature. He can…could regenerate his cells quickly, enough so that age wouldn't set in. His cells have run their course, though. There isn't anything left to keep them regenerating. Humanity has finally caught up to him and he will age."

"But he's young," Bella argued. "Essentially he stopped aging at twenty five, so he still has quite a few years left, right?"

"If he had stopped phasing years ago, perhaps. It's been centuries though and there just isn't enough energy left to continue this type of life," Carlisle admitted softly, watching his granddaughter begin to shake in distress.

Bella and Renesmee took turns sitting by Jacob's side, each of them mourning in their own way and Edward coming by in bi-hourly intervals to take either his daughter or wife out of the room so that the other could have their private goodbyes. In less than a week's time from when he had collapsed in the field, Jacob withered before the eyes of his best friend and soul mate.

His never reopened his own.

The cruel irony was the attachment between Bella's daughter and best friend. Soul mates were rare and more of an urban legend; a fairy tale to the romantics of the world who never quite finished the story of true love to the end.

Bella's daughter was dead within a month of Jacob's passing. It wasn't from a lack of wanting to live, or a desire to end her own life because her lover was gone.

She, for all that immortality entailed, could not survive without the other half of her soul. Edward and Carlisle argued and discussed it at great length, not that it would help. If any of them, Carlisle and Esme; Rosalie and Emmett; Alice and Jasper; or Edward and Bella, were destroyed, the other would continue to exist. It wouldn't be happy or pleasant, but their bodies would not shut down.

Returning to Washington, Bella insisted on burying Jacob and Renesmee Black in joint plots outside of the reservation. Edward and the rest of the Cullens watched mournfully as their relative was laid to rest in the soggy ground; an empty casket holding the cremated remains of what once was a vampire half-breed and a werewolf. Bella clung to her husband, the distress of having lost her children and best friend over the faulty workings of imprinting too much to bear alone.

After the funeral, Bella pleaded with her husband for a few minutes alone to run through La Push. Technically she wasn't allowed but it had been so long and Jacob had told her the remaining of the pack had died out long ago, not bothering to speak of her ex-husband specifically.

She walked the same cliffs she had tried to take her life from so long ago, noting the subtle changes to the rock formations. Quickly, she turned to the direction of the La Push cemetery, wondering what the pack had decided to do with Anthony.

In an abandoned section, she found the correct grave, sobbing silently and tearlessly at the sight of the broken and cracked headstone, an etching of a large wolf wrapped around another smaller cub with a semi-circular epithet:

_A Happy soul that never had the chance to connect_

Bella let her fingers trail over the words, her own grief beyond rational thought or words.

"I don't think you're supposed to be here, lady," A young voice spoke up, startling Bella.

Quickly turning, Bella eyed the youngster, her non-existent breath stopping.

The pre-teen was tall and muscular with reddish tinted skin and hair as black as night. When Bella caught his eyes, she almost collapsed, noticing the all too familiar coloring.

Those eyes were grey Lahote.

"Who are you?" She asked in return, feeling as though everything was surreal.

The boy's eyes narrowed quickly in anger. "It's none of your business who I am; I belong here and you don't. Now leave before I tell my father there are trespassers on our lands."

"Is your name…Lahote?" Bella asked fearfully before she could stop herself.

Taking a step away, the boy looked startled. "Not that you need to know, but yes it is." Gazing over her features, the boy's expression halted; morphing from anger, in to shock, and quickly fear. "You're one of them, aren't you? The one grandfather warned us of many years ago…he said you'd come back eventually."

"Is…Paul…is Paul Lahote your grandfather?" Bella asked, knowing even before the boy answered that it was.

His eyes jerked towards a newer portion of the cemetery, his emotions peaking before resuming normal rhythm. "You caused this," the boy spat angrily. "Get the hell off of my lands before they come to kill you. Grandfather spoke of you, but they won't care."

Bella turned to run, angry at herself for ignoring the warnings. She hadn't expected future generations to phase considering the Cullens had yet to live in Forks, but the world had grown in population; both humans and vampires alike.

Edward met her at the border, hastily tugging her into their rented vehicle as the howls began in the distance she had come from. They were gone before the first heavy paw of a wolf could be heard encroaching in on the treaty line designated so long ago.

As the Cullens discussed their next location, Bella sat alone in a corner of the hotel they were presently using, thinking of what Paul had told her the last time they had spoken. Had she stayed, had she been stronger or even tried to accept the circumstances, both she and Paul would have passed away together, leaving children she would have blamed on the imprint.

However, Jacob had imprinted on her daughter and they never had any children of their own; Bella had been wrong. Imprinting wasn't about building a better generation at all; it was about learning to accept what life gave you. Good, bad, or indifferent, the outcome had been hers to determine and she had failed, taking the lives of two children, her own soul and leaving an angry werewolf to continue on anyways, passing his traits to a new generation that always ahd and always would seek out to destroy vampires.

The twisted complexities of her life, both human and now vampire, was more weight than she could bear. Rather than accept what she had been given, Isabella Cullen always sought for something more and greed had robbed of her afterlife that might exist.

The only thing Renesmee had that none of the Cullens did, was a soul; a wicked little thing that Bella had scorned and would pay the price of for the rest of her unnatural life.

WIcked Little Things

cked ittle hings

WI L T

WILT


End file.
